


Paradise

by jacobmybeloved



Series: Little Lamb - AU's and Prompts [3]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe, Blood, Blood and Violence, Cannibalism, Death, F/M, Far Cry 5 AU, Hope County, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi, Murder, Murder Mystery, Religious Fanaticism, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Romance, Serial Killers, Seven Deadly Sins, Thriller, Torture, Violence, se7en inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-12-26 10:01:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 39,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18280865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacobmybeloved/pseuds/jacobmybeloved
Summary: Hope County has become one of the most popular destinations to visit over the decade. With it’s looming skyscrapers, notorious nightlife, and continuous development, everyone across the county is flocking to the once rural land turned paradise to claim a stake for themselves. However, not everyone has come to the city looking to better themselves. A killer has made themselves known, stalking the streets, targeting both rich, poor, and everyone in between. While others may find the work to be that of a madman, the newest member to the force, detective Nayeli Lamb, can’t shake the feeling that there is more to these cases than meets the eye. Assigned to veteran detective Jacob Cull’s side, the Lamb quickly finds herself in a web of conspiracies, lies and possibly herself next on the killer’s list.





	1. CAST

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy! So this was an idea that just sprung to me and thought I'd have fun with it. Inspired by the movie Se7en, this is just sorta a noir take on the FC5 story with some alterations. Some character names have been adjusted but essentially they're the same characters we know and love. Updates will be as I finish the chapters so be sure to bookmark if you liked what you read today. I hope you guys enjoy!

Charlotte OC as: 

[](https://imgbb.com/)

Lady Gaga as: 

[ ](https://imgbb.com/)


	2. Invidia

“Vittoria, I swear to God, did you take my blazer again?”

Nayeli Lamb had no room for error today as she tore through her apartments interior looking for the item of clothing in question. Today marked a very important happening. It was her first day as a newly appointed detective of the Hope County police department. The first day meaning she could not afford to be late because her best friend had decided to once again go through her closet without telling her. More than that, however, today marked Nayeli’s one year anniversary being home, having returned to Hope County after being gone for ten years. The reason for her long absence was a long-winded one, but in simple terms, following the death of her mother as a teenager, everything sort of spiraled out of control for the little lamb. 

She moved to LA with her father. Lost contact with her brother, or perhaps falling out would be the more appropriate term. Her father essentially disowned her when she told him of her plans to join the police academy, so she was left to work out her own life on the streets of LA up until about a year ago. It all paid off though. She flew through the police ranks without question, impressing her commanding officers to no end. She only had to sacrifice every aspect of her social life and possibly her familial ties to get this far, but she had an obligation to fulfill, and the only way she could do that was by returning to where it had all began.

“Vittoria!” She shouted once more, becoming more aggravated by the second.

“Keep your panties on.” A half asleep voice called from down the hall.

She heard the subtle, _click, click_ of heels approaching, turning to see as her roommate stood, looking half dead, in her bedroom doorway. Vittoria Arya-Giordano was an interesting character to put it politely. She was still wearing last night’s makeup, evidenced by the smudged eyeliner that migrated to the circles under her eyes, making her look more tired than she actually probably was. A further look down and you could see that her clothes looked as if she had plucked them out of a Barbie doll clothing catalog, giving her an almost childlike image. Nayeli could feel herself gagging at the thought of whatever creep had requested her to dress in such a way, but such were the duties that Vee had to partake in.

The two women had only met a few days after Nay moved back, hitting it off instantly despite the stark difference in their personalities and aesthetics. Somehow, they just fit seamlessly, like two puzzle pieces. They fit together so much so that it pained Nayeli to see her best friend partake in escorting, but Vee’s attempts to make into the music industry did not pan out as she wanted and jobs were in short supply here, so she resorted to the second thing that she was good at.

“Before you ask, yes, it was a client thing. Had a thing for women in business suits.” Vittoria huffed as she tossed the blazer to Nayeli.

Nayeli’s nose scrunched up as she brought the blazer up to her nose, “Okay, gross. Did you at least wash it?”

Judging by the cheesy grin that began to slowly appear on Vittoria’s face, it was definitely a no. Nay’s brows raised, completely defeated.

“Okay cool. I’ll just smell like someone's nutsack on my first day of work.”

While Nayeli was clearly not amused, Vee giggled like a child, scurrying forward as she threw her arms around Nayeli in a playful hug.

“What are friends for if not to annoy the living shit out of you?”

She pulled away, allowing Nayeli to actually put the blazer on. Vittoria helped in adjusting any obvious wrinkles, tugging here, patting down there before looking at Nayeli like a mother about to send their only offspring off to their first day of school. Nayeli tried to keep her face stern, still a bit annoyed with her friend but the way Vittoria looked at her she couldn’t help but crack a smile. That smile faded however as the gravity of her situation began to set in. She had no idea what to expect when she walked into that department. Getting in the Hope County police department was like getting into an Ivy League school. Considering that Hope County was the newest up and coming, everyone wanted a piece of everything, but you had to prove that you were worth it. Nayeli for one never felt worthy of anything.

‘Oh, I know that look. No. Don’t you start.” Vittoria pulled Nayeli out of her world of doubt, “You are brilliant, and you are going to impress everyone. And maybe find me some new clients while you’re at it.”

Nayeli laughed, “Yes, let me walk into my law enforcement job and see if anyone would be interested in paying for illegal sex with my best friend.”

Vittoria looked at Nayeli with her huge eyes, trying to mimic the eyes of a puppy dog as she watched Nayeli continue to get ready.

“You never know.” she hummed, “This city is full of surprises.”

\---

Hope County’s entire law enforcement was consolidated all into one central hub at the heart of the county. While they did have sister stations along the outskirts of the county, this was where the main action happened. The young detective was so in awe by the expansiveness of the station as she first entered, she was completely caught off guard when she collided with another individual walking in her path. She swore she could physically feel her soul leave her body as she took a step back, eyes closed, avoiding looking at whomever she had just bumped into. The coffee cup in her hand felt considerably lighter which only meant one thing. She took a deep breath, opening her eyes as they slowly wandered up. The first thing she saw was the obnoxious coffee stain that now adorned what had been a crisp white shirt.

Her eyes followed the buttons of the shirt up to the face of the man whose shirt she had just ruined. His gaze was fixated on the stain as he cursed, futility trying to damp it with his blazer. This gave the lamb a chance to examine the man for a moment. He was older, mid-forties at least. He had to have been over a foot taller than herself, and despite his age, he was built very sturdy. He finally looked up at her, his face disgruntled. He had the look of a man who worked too much with too little sleep. His mouth was moving but she was too occupied by the shade of his eyes. A crisp blue that reminded her of the California shoreline she loved to visit for years on end. 

Realizing his mouth was still moving, she finally spoke up, “I’m so sorry sir. I didn’t-“

“Just watch where you’re going next time.” He snarled before pushing past her.

Nayeli, utterly offended turned and watch him storm off. What an asshat, she told herself.

“Looks like the Probie has already met Hope County’s friendliest veteran detective.” A male voice teased.

The lamb turned, being greeted by two figures. A young man with unruly hair and a woman with dark hair fashioned into a single braid positioned over her shoulder.

“Don’t mind Detective Cull. He’s like that to everyone.” The woman smiled as she held out her hand for Nayeli to shake, “I’m Detective Joey Hudson. This is my partner, Detective Staci Pratt.”

Nayeli shook Hudson’s hand eagerly, ”Pleased to meet you.”

She tried to avoid Pratt’s gaze, feeling his eyes wander. When she did incidentally look in his direction, he shot her an almost knowing look. Nayeli tried to pay no mind to it. 

“Is that our newest Detective I see?”

The trio turned as an older man approached them. Nayeli’s eyes widened with recognition, and then pure joy.

“Sheriff Whitehorse?” She asked already knowing the answer to her own question.

“Commissioner now, rookie.” He gleaned back at her as he embraced her in a hug, “When I heard that we were getting a Nayeli Lamb transferred to our department I could scarcely believe my ears but here you are.”

As they pulled apart he looked at her the way a father would look at their child for accomplishing a rare feat: proud and a little bit emotional. Nayeli knew the Sheriff, or rather now the Commissioner long before she was forced to leave Hope County. He was a good friend of her mothers. Perhaps a little too good in some people’s opinions, particularly her father. If anything, Earl was more of a father to her than her birth father ever was. He had taught her how to handle a weapon and got her interested in law enforcement in the first place though she’d never admit that it was her mother's death that lit that match aflame, sparking the interest into a pure obsession. 

“I hate to cut this reunion short but we got a body up by Silver Lake. No clue if there’s any foul play involved just yet. Hudson and Pratt, I want you on this one. Lamb-” he turned to Nayeli who stood at full attention, “I’m pairing you up with Cull. His last partner quit so you’ll be his ride along for now until we can find an alternative. You’ll all be working on this one so try to play nice.”

Nayeli felt the color drain from her face. She horror turnedti agitation as she heard the subtle snickering from Detective Pratt. _Just my luck_. Well, considering it was only her first day, which was nerve-wracking for anyone no matter the profession, this couldn’t possibly be that bad.

\-----

This was quite possibly the most awkward, forty-five-minute drive she had ever had to endure. She could just feel the tension radiating from Detective Cull as he clenched onto the steering wheel, probably still fuming from the spilled coffee incident earlier. Nayeli had opened her mouth probably ten times in an attempt to start a conversation but nothing came to her. She was simply stuck. They tailed behind another unit until they reached the yellow tape barrier some feet from the lake itself. The regular police were already on the scene, keeping overeager spectators away.

Nayeli was relieved when the car finally parked, meaning she could leave this never-ending awkward silence. She did, however, want to make one last attempt at conversation, seeing as how she would be his newest partner for the indefinite future.

“Have you been on the force for long?” she asked upon exiting the car.

If they were going to be partners, she deserved to at least know a little about the person she’d be working with, right?

They moved around to the front of the car, Cull holding up his hand, his index finger extended making a “one” gesture.

“I have one rule,” he started, “If you’re going to be my partner, no personal chit chat. We get in, do our job. We go home.”

Nay’s eyes narrowed as he proceeded forward, allowing her to mutter under her breath as she followed a few steps behind, , “Asshole.”

They ducked down under the yellow tape, approaching the edge of the frozen lake. Pratt and Hudson were standing by, watching as the forensic team attempted to navigate the frozen surface without falling in themselves. They had managed to cut a hole in the ice but they seemed to be struggling actually pulling the body out.

“What do have so far?” Cull started, fidgeting around in the pocket of his coat, pulling out a cigarette and lighter. 

_How classy_ , Nayeli thought sarcastically as Hudson gave them the load down. The victim was a male, possible late twenties. Some teenagers found the body when they came here to ice skate and one of them ate shit, happening to land face first with a frozen corpse looking back at them. Other than that, they really had nothing. The team of detectives waited in anticipation as the body was finally hauled out. The man appeared to be stripped down to his bare essentials, wearing nothing but briefs. The forensic team began going to town, taking photos of the body.

As they did so, Nayeli stepped carefully onto the ice, then another, then another.

“Lamb, what the hell do you think you’re doing.” Cull called out as Nayeli made her way further in. 

She glared over her shoulder, with a sarcastic grin marred across her face, “What’s it look like? I’m doing my job.”

There was some snickering, no doubt from Detective Pratt as she continued on her way. The forensic team had moved onto taking photos of the surrounding area, allowing her a free examination of the body. The body was sickly bloated, the discoloration of skin ranging from blues to purples along his whole body. Despite this and without any form of formal identification, the man was littered with tattoos which would hopefully give them some sort of lead as to who he was. Curiously, along his chest tattoo there was raised skin, like something had been carved, further evidenced by the exposed tissue. With a gloved hand Nayeli traced it, forming out individual letters.

 _E-N-V-Y_.

Nayeli stood up immediately, pulling out her cell phone as she began to take her own photographic evidence. She could hear Cull continuously yelling for her to get back to solid ground but she ignored it, feeling a rush of adrenaline. This was no random incident. This was a murder.

\-----

One week later.

Jacob Cull was relieved as he shut the last case report he had for the night closed, slipping the file into its proper spot in his desk. He had been at this job for approximately ten years now. When he first came here, Hope County was nothing but a mix of farmland and suburbs. Within his first two years however, a equivalent of the Big Bang occurred. Suddenly Hope County was the place to be, major corporations taking interest in the open land, making it into a mixture of natural and industrialized settings. He watched as skyscrapers came to rival the Whitetail mountains, trailer parks renovated into half-million dollar condos and beyond. Gone was the simplicity of enjoying the simple nature of things, instead replaced by the ever growing need of materialism and everything in between. 

Jacob was a relic if you thought about it. Half the law enforcement here were cocky, over eager jugheads fresh out of the academy. Hope County law enforcement was surprisingly one of the best paying jobs which was why so many flocked to it like cattle. Didn’t matter your credentials. The politicians and higher ups preferred to have a bunch of meatheads to puppeteer versus those who could actually think for themselves after all. The few whom Cull actually held respect for would have to be the Commissioner and Detective Hudson. Whitehorse was like Jacob, set in their old ways, a dying breed to be honest. Hudson had an old soul to her, refusing to let her position or power go to her head. 

And then there was the newest recruit, the little lamb. 

Jacob couldn’t help but occasionally peer up from his desk over the last few days, watching the Lamb pour tirelessly over their most recent case. He’s never seen a new recruit work so diligently, making his curious if she ever had a life outside of her work. He for one could not wait till he could just go home and pour a glass of whiskey, and then another until he found himself passed out in his favorite chair. He could’ve swore that this Lamb girl however spent her nights here at the station. She was always the last in the building, and one of the first to arrive. It was almost kind of pathetic, but admirable at the same time. 

He felt a pang of guilt almost, having been short with her on her first day. In his defense, his ex had just slapped him with a court order for him to begin paying alimony the day prior, and he had just run all out of whiskey. But he didn’t work well with partners to begin with. He was three years away from retirement and the last thing he needed was an overzealous rookie getting him killed because they wanted to catch the person who killed a gang banger. 

They were the only two left in the building aside from the cleaning crew and his desk was only a couple over from hers so when he got up to stand, his chair made a horrible screeching noise. Nayeli pauses whatever she was doing, refusing to look in his direction before she went back to her work.

He strolled over to her desk without so much as a word, looking over the papers and evidence photos scattered about. He picked one up, this one a photo from autopsy. 

“Do you mind?” The woman’s voice cut through him.

With a raised brow he looked down at her, her hand outstretched waiting for him to give her back the photo. 

“You shouldn’t be working this hard. This case is already cold as far as I can tell.” He muttered as he gently placed the photo into her possession.

She looked annoyed with every single word that he spoke, “Please tell me that’s not some euphemism.”

He cocked his head, realizing the irony of the case and of what he just said. Seeing her frustrated actually made him smile a little bit. 

“It wasn’t.” he simply replied, “What do you have so far?”

She continued to glare at him as she began to break down what she had so far given he had given the case no more than a simple glance over. The victim was twenty-seven-year-old Arturo Mendez. According to Pratt and Hudson’s interviews with his known family, he had moved to Hope County just over two years ago with his girlfriend and newborn daughter. He had ties to the gang known as the Whitetails, serving as a fence. Rumor was, however, he was trying to get out of that lifestyle, his girlfriend claiming that he had an interview at the District Attorney's office as a janitor the day prior to when his body was found. Judging from marks around his ankles he had some sort of weights attached dragging him down into the water after somehow being dumped. Whoever did the restraints however did a poor job seeing as how the body came floating back up so they were possibly dealing with an amateur with a flair for the theatrics, hence, the carving found in the man’s chest.

Cull looked at the Lamb like a teacher listening to a student excitedly tell a mind-numbing story, scratching the back of his head as he sighed.

“So there’s one less criminal off the streets.” he gruffed, “Case closed.”

You would’ve sworn he had just insulted her mother or something from the way the young detective shot up from her desk, “Yes he was a criminal but he was also a father.’ she retorted

She leaned over her desk towards him her hands planted down, “Who’s to say that he chose to resort to thieving? He had a family he was trying to support. He was trying to get clean. Does that not account for anything?”

Detective Cull mimicked her stance as he leaned over the one thing standing between them. He got as close as possible to her face in an attempt to intimidate her. There was a brief flash of disconcertment in her eyes, and you could see her swallow nervously as they held eye contact, but she seemed to be refusing to back down. 

“People don’t just have a change of heart.” he began, “We’re creatures of habit. Too scared to take that next step. Too scared to make a change. We’re born, we live out our mundane lives, and then we die.”

He could see the fume expelling from her ears as her lips compressed into a straight line. She hurriedly began to gather up her stuff from the desk as he leaned back, crossing his arms. She had good intentions, that he could commend, but she was young and naive. He had seen what this world had to offer and it was not for the faint of heart. If anything, he was doing her a favor by being so blunt and off-putting. If she was going to survive in this new position, she had to be strong and willing to acknowledge when something was a lost cause. As she shoved her belongings into her bag, she glanced at him one last time. Why she was so worked up over this particular case was probably attributed to whatever deep seeded issues she had herself, though he doubted that she would ever reveal them to him judging by how well their partnership was proceeding so far.

“This man deserves justice.” she stated a matter of factly, “I’m going to find his murderer with or without you.”

She made a point of circling around the desk, bumping into him much as he had after she spilt coffee on him. His eyes followed her as she proceeded to the exit, the corner of his lip curling up ever so slightly. Her idealistic attitude was infuriating, but he had to admit: he was beginning to like her.

\-----

“Why didn’t you warn me that Whitehorse was going to saddle me with such an asshole.”

Pratt couldn’t help himself from chuckling at her predicament, “I had no idea to be honest. I figured he’d stick you with Burke since he’s so by the book but I gotta admit it’s entertaining watching you squirm when you’re around Cull.”

She laid on the futon, flipping through the crime scene photos as Pratt cleaned up in the kitchen following their dinner. Nayeli and Pratt had been friends for as long as she could remember, dating briefly as teenagers before she moved to California. When she returned a year ago, he was the first person she looked up. He was able to help her find a security job while she waited for an opening at his precinct, thus allowing her to transfer over as soon as one did open up. He helped her in other ways as well over the past year. He pulled some strings and got her a pretty decent condo at a decent price, showed her what was new in Hope County since she left and also helped keep her bed warm on nights she was feeling particularly _needy_. 

They weren’t in a relationship though. She had made that particularly clear. This was strictly friends with benefits, though sometimes the way Pratt acted, such as tonight, cooking dinner after her first day, she wondered if he forgot that, especially with the way he leered at her at the station. If the other’s knew she was already fraternizing with her co-worker, then she was done for, unless Cull drove her out first.

“I just don’t know how I’m supposed to work with somebody who won’t even talk to me about the investigation we’re both suppose to be working on without being a complete dickhole about it.

She was staring at one particular picture of the crime scene, studying the drag marks along the ice before the victim was dunked when Pratt finally came over. She was puzzled as to what the correlation was between the method of murder and the word etched into the victim's skin was. There was obvious religious undertones, envy probably referencing to the man's career in thievery, but why choose to submerge him in below freezing water? Pratt didn't give her much time to further analyze, snatching the photo out of her hand. 

“Hey!” she started to protest but his lips mashed into hers as he proceeded to climb on top of her. 

Nayeli immediately melted into his touch as he began unbuttoning her pants, tugging them down along with her underlayers. In between kisses, she whined, “Pratt, we need to focus on the case.” though she’d admit, this was much more fun.

She could feel the curvature of his lips as he looked at her with hungry eyes before lowering his head to her neck where he continued his quick succession of kisses, “We have all day tomorrow, and the next, and the next…”

Nayeli gasped lightly as he pushed up her shirt, his lips grazing across her chest as they worked their way down her abdomen. As he reached between her thighs she whimpered slightly. He began to kiss her inner thigh teasingly, making her arch her back and writhe her hips. The ache between her legs was becoming unbearable, especially when his mouth was so close.

“You’re such an asshole.” she gasped as his lips continued to linger.

“You’ll forgive me in just a moment.” he grinned, placing his hands firmly around her hips as his tongue began to work against her.

Suffice to say, all was forgiven by the end of the night.

\-----

It was three in the morning when Nayeli slipped away from Pratt’s place. She did not like sleeping over for many reasons. His bed was too hard, pillows too lopsided. Sleeping over felt like a form of commitment, something that she just could not spare right now. Not while this case was still active, and not while she still had her own investigation to follow up on. She stood on the curb of the street, waiting for her Uber to arrive. Her place was only about a ten-minute walk from here but she did not want to risk anyone seeing her out at this late of an hour. Considering she had to be at the station in less than five hours, she just wanted to get home as soon as possible to get some sleep. The sooner she was able to close this case, the soon she could use the station's resources to look into her mother’s death. Everyone had said it was a burglary gone wrong, but it certain aspects just did not add up. There was no sign of struggle, no forced entry. Just one dead mother and a few items missing.

Her obsession with that night was the main reason she drove her brother Takoda away. He was the type of person to say the past was the past, but Nayeli could not easily forget as he could. After all, he had not been the one to find their mother’s body lying in a pool of her own blood after coming home from school. He was not the one who had to call the police or watch as they took their mother’s body away. It had all been her. 

She felt a sense of relief as she was dropped off at her residence, ready to strip down and dive into her bed. The elevator up was agonizingly slow but as soon as the beep went off she sprung to life. _So close_ , she told herself. As she stepped off the elevator, she began fumbling in her bag for her keys, paying no mind to her immediate surroundings. Approaching her door, she looked up. She gasped, startled by the sight of a woman sitting at the foot of her doorway, her legs propped up with her arms and head rested against them. At first she mistook the woman for the newly blonde Vittoria, but this shade of blonde was off, less bleached and more undertones of brown. Nayeli felt a sense of familiarity as she approached cautiously. The woman rose her head slightly at the sound of Nayeli's footsteps. As she drew closer, the woman raised her head up all the way, allowing Nayeli to see her face.

The woman was roughly the same age as herself, though the circles under her eyes said otherwise. Still, there was no mistaking that smile or the shade of her eyes. Nayeli called out to the woman, hand extended, ready to briefly touch her to make sure that what she was seeing was real. The expression of seeing a ghost did not match the disbelief that the lamb felt in this moment

"Rachel?" she spoke just above a whisper.

The woman smiled weakly, her somber gaze piercing straight through the detective, "Hey, Nayeli." she spoke with almost a guilty tone, "Long time no see."


	3. Humanitas

What was there to say about Rachel Jessop. She was not a native to Hope County, but she lived here long enough to become a household name. Rachel struggled with drug addiction for as long as Nayeli knew her, no fault in herself but rather just the cards she had been dealt. She came from an abusive household and for a time had nowhere else to turn except to substances. Nayeli met Rachel when she was about thirteen, the two girls kicking it off instantly. So much so that Sokanon, Nayeli’s mother, welcomed Rachel over for family dinners, despite her father’s wishes. Nayeli swore that had her father allowed it, Sokanon would have volunteered to foster Rachel. She considered her to be a daughter in her own right. 

The last time Nayeli saw Rachel was a few days prior to her mother’s death. She wasn’t in the best of shape, having relapse after a three month streak of being clean. The two had a fight. Over what Nayeli could not recall, but no doubt it was in regards to Rachel’s relapse. That was the last time she heard from the Jessop girl. A week after her mother was found dead, Nayeli, her father and brother got up and moved to California, leaving Hope County and Rachel Jessop behind. 

To see Rachel here, now, ten years later sitting in her living room was surreal in of itself. Nayeli carefully balanced a cup of tea, blowing on it to cool it down before handing it to Rachel. Rachel took a sip, seeming to be unbothered by the heat, thanking Nayeli before placing it down on the coffee table. Nayeli had a million questions to ask the girl but only one came out coherently.

“How did you know where to find me?” Nayeli asked, utterly perplexed.

Rachel wasn’t, by definition wealthy but her family was probably better off than eighty percent of the residents in Hope County. Judging by the tumultuous relationship with them however, she doubted they had anything to do with her anymore. Phone books weren’t exactly a thing anymore so the lamb was curious as to how Rachel managed to pinpoint her down.

“I asked around.” Rachel simply responded.

Nayeli, while a little perturbed, brushed it off. She sat idly across from Rachel, unsure of what to say. 

“I’m sorry to turn up like this.” Rachel began to fill the silence, “I know I’m the last person you’d probably want to see right now but I didn’t know where else to go.”

Rachel explained how she was recently fired from a waitress job, and kicked out of her temporary housing so she had been drifting from weekly motels for the past two months, using the last of whatever savings she had. 

“I just wanted to see if maybe I could crash here for a couple nights. I’m just waiting to hear back from this pastor who’s supposed to be helping me get back on my feet.”

Nayeli felt like she was being put on the spot. She knew Vee was going to blow an absolute gasket, being a former drug user herself. She may have dealt in the lucrative and very illegal escort business but she avoided substances at all costs for fear of relapsing. But who was the lamb to turn away a friend in need?

“Y-yeah. Yeah. That’s totally fine.” Nayeli assured her, “Just curious, who’s this pastor that’s helping you? Is it Pastor Jerome from when we were kids?”

Rachel shook her head, taking another sip from her tea, “No, his name is Joseph Seed. He just moved her maybe five years ago from what he told me. He’s been very kind to me and helpful.”

“I see.” Nayeli replied, “Well, I have to okay this with my roommate but I’d be more than happy to let you stay for a few days.”

Rachel nodded, looking back down at her tea. The detective opened her mouth to say more, but her cell phone began to blare. 

“Shit.” Nayeli cursed pulling her phone out. Her morning wake-up. Had the hours really gone by that fast? _So much for a few hours of sleep_ she sighed as she stood up.

“Listen, I have to go to work but here’s my number if you need anything.”

Nayeli hastily reached into her wallet, pulling out a business card, placing it before Rachel. She wasn’t too keen on leaving Rachel here all by herself but she had no time to find an alternative. She just knew as soon as Vittoria got home from whatever client she’s been entertaining she was going to flip her lid.

\-----

“Vittoria- yeah, yeah I know-. It’s just for a few days. What was I supposed to do just leave her sitting on the doorstep like a dog?”

Nayeli rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling an oncoming migraine from all the yammering Vittoria was doing. She was sitting at her desk, trying so hard to stay awake, nevermind avoiding the odd looks she was getting from her ongoing conversation. As she had predicted, Vittoria lost it. Granted, Nayeli probably should have given her a heads up that there would be a woman staying with them versus just letting her walk in and seeing some chick passed out on the couch. As much as the lamb did not like the idea, Vee offered to stay at one of her _John Does_ as she liked to call them so Nayeli could have her room while Rachel took hers. This entire situation was frustrating but Nayeli felt that it was her duty to help, considering how bad things ended between her and Rachel. She knew her mother would encourage her to help anyway she could, and she wasn’t about to get an ass-whooping when they saw each other again in the afterlife.

“Okay, okay. That’s fine. Listen, I really need to get back to work. Just be safe okay?”

Nayeli sighed as she set her phone down, planting her face into the palms of her hands. A subtle cough, or rather, clearing of a throat caused her to lower her hands and look up. _Like this day couldn’t get any worse._

Jacob Cull stood at the opposite side of her desk, peering down at her apathetically. Curiously, he had two cups of coffee in his hand, making Nayeli instantly regret forgetting to stop on the way here for some. Shockingly enough, he extended one of the cups out to her.

“You look like you could use this.”

Nayeli blinked a few times, looking at the coffee then back to him. He raised a brow, like somehow she was the one acting out of character for not accepting his offering. The lamb grasped the coffee, allowing him to dig into his pocket, pulling out packs of sugar and cups of cream, placing them on her desk. 

“Wasn’t sure how you liked it. Figure just to be safe.”

The young detective was at a loss for words to be quite frank. She reached out hesitantly for the cream and sugar, nodding her head as she kept her gaze low.

“You didn’t have to. Thanks.”

He didn’t respond at first. He set his coffee down as he pulled up a chair from another desk, planting himself opposite of herself. Nayeli almost felt like a shy teenager in this moment as she hesitantly poured her sugar and cream under his watchful eye. She didn’t look so tough now probably. Everyone here probably drank their coffee straight black. He seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, a snicker curling up one his face.

“Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.”

He leaned in, his hand covering the side of his mouth, the way children do when they whisper to a friend.

“I take two sugars with my coffee too. No cream though.”

For some reason this made Nayeli giggle and then immediately feel stupid for doing so. Was this the same ass hat who had been so rude to her over the past five days? If so, what the hell happened between last night and now? _He probably got laid_ she jested to herself. He seemed to be a bit fidgety today, not at all the calm and very stoic man she’s come to know over the last few days though she was be quite generous. Aside from last night, she had probably spoke a total of seven sentences to him so this was both quite intriguing and uncomfortable to say the least. He cleared his throat once more, his movements awkward, that of a school boy speaking to his crush.

“I want to apologize for the last few days. You just happened to catch me at a bad time.”

“A bad time extending over the course of a whole week?” Nayeli spoke sarcastically.

Partially, she wondered if Whitehorse or one of the others forced him into this. Her hunch was on Whitehorse, considering how far back they went. She was surprised he had even assigned her to such an odd case. He was probably much like Cull here. Figured it was a cold case meaning it would keep her out of immediate danger for now, his way of getting her feet wet before assigning her to something more serious. Her reflection subsided as she awaited Jacob’s response.

“Perhaps a bit longer than that.” he smiled subtly, “Where are we on the Mendez case?” he asked, taking a sip from his cup.

Nayeli shot him a sardonic look, considering _we_ did not exist until he had just mentioned it a few moments ago.

“Whoever did this had this premeditated. Could be weeks they planned. Maybe months. They had to have been familiar with his background considering the carving in his chest.” Nayeli paused briefly waiting to see if he had anything to add.

“I guess we’d better get a list of suspects then. Shouldn’t be hard.” He spoke almost accusingly.

There is was. That underlying bastard hiding beneath the surface. Here she thought they were finally getting somewhere. Nayeli cocked her head, eyes narrowed. Yes, the victim was a thief and known gang affiliate, but was he any worse then half of the population here? Worse than the politicians and celebrities who stayed up in their ivory towers?

“You really should give people the benefit of the doubt.” She said. 

He must have known if he continued it would further push her buttons, so with a half-assed grin he responded, “Why should I?”

Nayeli stood abruptly, grabbing her cup and folders of evidence. The way she did so seemed to surprise him as he leaned back into his chair. 

“Because Detective Cull, maybe one day someone will show you the same kindness.”

She didn’t wait around long enough to see his reaction. This interaction with him told her all she needed to know about what kind of person he was. Apathetic. Cruel. The sooner she and the other’s got this murder solved, the sooner she’d hopefully be rid of this man entirely.


	4. Acedia

Three days later.

“I can’t believe this place is still open.”

“I’m sure they heard that if they tore it down there’d be a very angry spirit haunting whatever they replaced it with.”

Nayeli and Whitehorse laughed as their food arrived. Truly, if anything happened to this place, she was sure her mother would rain down her wrath from the heavens above. This particular diner held a special place in both their hearts. Her mother worked here for as long as she could remember. She remembered every Sunday when her father would have to work late, her mother would bring her, her brother Takoda, and sometimes even Rachel to have dinner and milkshakes. It was almost a little bit cartoonish to see an old-timey diner slabbed in the middle of the ever-growing concrete jungle. Today was the first day off Nayeli had in over a week and a half. The Mendez case was turning up to have no leads whatsoever. Despite his gang affiliation, there was no evidence of him have any sort of bad blood with anyone. Without a clear motive, aside from the religious undertones, she and the other investigators were left at a standstill.

Nayeli was babying her coffee as Whitehorse chowed down on a Belgium waffle, using this break in the investigation to catch up on ten years worth of time. Pratt had not mentioned that the Sheriff had been promoted when she first submitted her application, so to see him again was just sort of mind-boggling. It took her back to more simpler times when he would take her to the shooting range, showing her how to handle a weapon. Her father wasn’t too happy about his daughter knowing how to handle a weapon, so Sokanon, her mother had Whitehorse teach her behind his back.

There was a lot of rumors circulating around that her mother and Whitehorse were having an affair, but Nayeli refused to believe such a thing. While there was undeniably some _tension_ between them, and her marriage to her father wasn’t picture perfect,, Whitehorse was an honorable man, and her mother, a devoted wife, and mother. Nothing would have ever happened.

“So, what’s your take on Detective Cull?” Whitehorse asked with a humorous tone.

Nayeli nearly slammed down her coffee, eager to respond, “This is off the record right?”

Whitehorse nodded as he shoveled a fork-full of waffle into his mouth.

“He’s a flipping A-class asshole.” she declared. 

Whitehorse nearly choked on his waffle as he began to chuckle. Nayeli sat with her arms crossed, a little annoyed that he got a kick out of this.

“No offense Whitehorse but why did you stick me with him? He’s completely off-putting. Since Hudson and Pratt got moved to that drug ring downtown I’ve been busting my ass on this case.”

Whitehorse continued to chew before taking a swallow of his coffee, clearing his throat so he could respond.

“To be honest, I thought that pairing the two of you would mellow him out. Also figured by giving you a challenge, you wouldn’t feel like I was going easy on you.”

“Well, you certainly succeeded in giving me a challenge.” Nayeli huffed, “What’s his deal anyway?”

Whitehorse nonchalantly cut the rest of his waffle into bite-size portions to avoid stopping every five seconds to cut a new one. His gaze was low as he did so, she wondered if for dramatic effect for whatever he was about to tell her. According to Whitehorse, the man known as Jacob Cull had a rough upbringing. Abusive father, neglectful mother. Separated from his brothers as a teenager. Bounced in and out of juvie till he was old enough to join the military. Ex-veteran from the first Gulf War in Iraq and after an unsaid incident found himself in a veteran’s hospital. When his money ran out, he was homeless for a time. Things turned up for him briefly. He began working in private sectors, earning his way up to afford a small apartment. Even settled down for a time during which he earned the title of detective. Good things rarely lasted though. 

“His wife just hit him with divorce papers about a month ago. That’s probably why he’s been a _A-class asshole_ to ya.”  


Nayeli narrowed her eyes, “And how do you know all this?”

Whitehorse chuckled, “We have a beer together every other week. The moment that man gets any alcohol into his system, he’s liable to tell you his whole life story.” 

Nayeli watched as Whitehorse leaned back into his chair, his hands placed over his belly, a satisfied look etched across his face. He could see his surrogate daughter was not satisfied with his answer so he continued to vouch for the man known as Jacob Cull.

“He’s a good man, Nayeli. He’s got a lot of layers and a lot of walls but there’s a human deep down in there just like you or me. It’s just gonna take you a little longer to get to it is all.”

Nayeli pushed her mug back and forth between the palms of her hands, going from Nayeli Lamb the rookie detective to pouting teenager. 

“I suppose so.”

He had a point, as much as she hated to admit. They wrapped things up, saying their goodbyes before he headed back to the station. The lamb chose to stay behind a few minutes longer, not looking forward to returning home anytime soon. Rachel was still present, her couple of days extended indefinitely which meant Vittoria was out there somewhere with some random John Doe doing who knows what. Nayeli did not mind the fact her friend did sex work, she was only concerned with her safety, never knowing where she was off to or who she was seeing. Confidentiality is key Vittoria would always tell her. Nayeli pulled out her phone, feeling the need to call and check on her for the sake of their friendship. As she began to dial, however, it began to vibrate, the words _Douche Canoe_ appearing on her screen. 

_Why is Jacob calling me?_

Growling as she rolled her eyes she begrudgingly answered, “What is it, Cull?”

The next four words made her blood run cold.

“We got another body.”

\-----

It took Nayeli about ten minutes to get to the crime scene from the diner, speeding like a madwoman and quite possibly cutting through multiple red lights. The site in question appeared to be a construction zone curiously enough. Nay could already spot Jacob’s large figure, speaking with some of the other officers. The animal patrol also appeared to be on the scene, bringing out tongs and what appeared to be thick-burlap sacks from the back of their vehicle. Puzzled, Nayeli approached. Upon further inspection, Jacob and others seemed to be standing by a pit that was roped off by warning tape.

As if feeling her reluctant aura, Jacob turned to her as she approached. Like it was some ritual he only performed at crime scenes, he was in the middle of lighting a cigarette, making Nayeli’s face scrunch up as she approached.

“No respect for the dead I see.”

He shrugged, placing the lighter back in his pocket as he gestured to the pit, “Don’t hear her complaining.”

Nayeli scoffed at him as she inched closer to the pit, making sure that she didn’t accidentally slip downward to meet whatever fate had been bestowed upon their latest victim. The hole itself was about eight-feet deep, meaning anyone shorter than at least six and a half feet was going to have a hell of a time getting out. The lamb cursed seeing movement at the bottom. She jumped back accidentally pressing hers back to Jacob’s chest. 

“Easy there.” he cautioned, his hands found their place on her shoulder to keep her still.

Her face flushed as she shook him off, not giving him a worded response. The woman’s body was sprawled out at the bottom of the pit. Like their previous victim, she had been stripped down to her bare essentials. Unlike their other victim though, the carving in her chest was much more visible, seeing as how her body was not soaking at the bottom of a frozen lake. It only took her moments to make out the letters: _S-L-O-T-H_. Seeing dead bodies first hand was a in itself disturbing, but the most troubling part however was that she was not alone: the movement Nayeli had seen earlier? Well, upon further observation, she realized that there was over a dozen snakes keeping their latest victim company..

“I take it we don’t have identification on her.” Nayeli frowned, feeling chills running up and down her spine as she imagined over a dozen snakes crawling all over her. 

Jacob exhaled a cloud of smoke, kindly enough away from her face, “Your powers of observation are truly outstanding.” 

She turned and glared at him though she couldn’t keep it up for long. Following Whitehorse’s information overload, she could see just how terribly tired this man truly was. She never noticed the burns or the scars that littered his face, nor the way he continued to hide his hands in his pockets when he was not using them. Were they too, covered in scars and burns? She had truly not paid enough attention until Whitehorse brought the man’s struggles to the forefront. 

Her empathy would truly be the death of her if anything. So for now, she’d swallow her pride let this sly comment slide. Just once. Nayeli looked around, watching as the animal control began the slow process of removing the snakes from the pit. The method of murder was up for debate but considering the snakes and assuming they were poisonous...well. One bite would have been enough. Times that by a dozen and there was no way any human could survive. It would be a while before the forensics and autopsy finished but there was no doubt about it.

“Seems we have a serial killer on our hands.” she uttered.

Cull sighed beside her, “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

\-----

Nayeli leaned against the interior wall of the elevator, watching the floor numbers tick by in a painfully slow manner. So much for having a day off. In one hand she had the files for the Mendez case and in the other, the updated information of their latest victim. When they returned to the station, Cull pulled up all of the mission persons reports filed within the last week. One mugshot stood out, matching the description of their Jane Doe.

While they were still waiting on official identification, they were pretty positive it was Elizabeth Prince, a social elite and also member of the Hope County Board of Education. Reported missing two days prior by her husband. Price was was a controversial figure, at least from what Lamb could find in news articles. She was an advocate for “school vouchers” allowing a select few public students to attend charter or private institutions, essentially taking funds from public schools to put it towards privatized education. 

Unlike the Mendez case, this one was a bit harder to feel sympathy for. This woman claimed to have students best interests at heart but she was turning her back on the majority to serve a select few. This investigation seemed to grow more complex by the minute. It seemed their killer did not discriminate against race, social status or gender. They were picking their victims for very, very specific reasons. 

Once she reached her floor, Nayeli approached her door. She got it halfway open when heard Vittoria’s hollering. 

“Get out! Get out!”

_What the fuck is going on._

Nayeli swung the door open, seeing the almost comical sight of Vittoria chasing their newest, temporary housemate around the living room with a high heel. Nayeli dropped her shit to the ground, plopping herself into the middle of the action. She grabbed Vittoria by her waist pulling her back.

“Vee, what the fuck is going on.”

Vittoria struggled for a moment but gave up moments later huffing and puffing.

“I came home to get a change of clothes and I found this free-loader going through my belongings!”

Rachel was cowering in one of the corners of the room, her hands raised up to her face defensively like at any second Vittoria would chuck her shoe at her. 

“It wasn’t like that. I was just seeing if maybe you had a bus pass or something.” 

“You’re a cop search her or something!” Vittoria insisted as Nayeli released her.

Rachel’s posture changed completely as she lowered her hands down, looking almost stern as she looked in their direction. 

“I didn’t know you were a cop.”

Nayeli could feel her patience flying out the window, “Okay, first things first. Rachel, where were you trying to go?”

“To the Church.” she spoke meekly like a child caught with their hand in the forbidden cookie jar, “Pastor Seed finally got back to me.” 

She then looked to Vittoria with a disdainful look, “I was just going to leave when this trollop accused me of stealing her stuff.”

“What did you call me?” Vittoria took a step forward, eyes widening with a mad fury.

“That’s enough!” Nayeli cried.

This cat-fight was the last thing she needed on her plate right now. She had two murders to contend with and a serial killer on the loose. She knew if she took anyone’s side right now it would only prolong detracting her from what she had to do. 

“Rachel, grab your stuff. I’ll drop you off. And Vittoria-”

“Oh, you don’t to get to give me orders honey.” Vittoria snapped, “Just get this druggie looking ass thing out of our home. Or I’m not coming back.”

Vittoria brushed past a very defeated Nayeli, slamming her bedroom door as she left the other two women to their own devices. The detective understood Vittoria's frustration but she could not just abandon Rachel so. Nayeli looked to the Jessop who now held her head low and arms behind her back. This was going to be a long fucking night, that was for sure.


	5. Industria

The car ride to the church was a dull one. The radio played on the lowest volume you could play it at while still being able to hear it. Nayeli would glance over at Rachel multiple times unsure what to make of her. She looked...better, considering all things. Whoever this Pastor was, she hoped that he could turn Rachel’s life around for the better because she just did not have the time or resources, as much as she wanted to help.

The church was slapped between two skyscrapers, making it look hilariously out of place. It’s appearance was closer to that of a cathedral than your average church. Though dwarfed by its surroundings, the building itself was a sight to behold. Nayeli actually felt a bit of trepidation as she pulled up along the curb, examining every detail, every window and carving that adorned it’s exterior.

“You sure he’ll be here this late?” Nayeli asked as she undid her seat belt.

She was left with no response as Rachel was already halfway out of the car. Nayeli cursed under her breath as she swung her door open, following the Jessop girl inside. How the girl was not freezing with just the white dress she had on left Nay perplexed. Montana winters were not known for being kind.

Rachel was fortunate that this pastor had extended his helping hand out to her because Nayeli was unsure of what else she could possibly do. By the time Nayeli entered the church, Rachel had disappeared from sight. It didn’t help that it was nearly pitch black save for a few lit candles. 

“Rachel?” Nayeli called, her voice echoing through the church’s grand chamber.

“May I help you, child?” a smooth, velvet voice responded back.

The detective turned to the direction of the voice, spotting a tall figure emerging from the darkness. He was dressed very nicely, almost like a modern-revision of what pastors normally wear. His hair was pulled back into a minuscule bun, and his blue eyes were encased by thick-rimmed glasses. Overall, he was very handsome, and Nayeli couldn’t help but stare.

“No need to be frightened.” he cooed, “My name is Joseph Seed, though, many just refer to me as The Father.”

“Father.” she repeated, “I’m so sorry to intrude. My friend Rachel said that you’ve been helping her get back on her feet so to speak. I was just dropping her off.”

A genuine smile graced his lips, “That’s very diligent of you, to help a friend in need. She had been staying here every couple days or so the past few years but she disappeared for almost two weeks. I was very fearful for her safety.”

He paused briefly, seemingly sighing in relief, “May I offer you some tea?”

“Oh. No, no.” Nayeli politely refused. 

Behind Joseph she saw brief movement, sulking behind one of the pillars. Nayeli’s worst childhood fears began to manifest before seeing the toussle of blonde hair. Rachel peered around the pillar like a child eavesdropping on her parents. When she realized Nayeli had seen her, she scurried off.

Joseph, without looking to see what was distracting Nayeli began to speak, “She’s been using again. Though she does not confess what it is however.”

“Oh.” Nayeli replied, almost disappointed. 

She had a feeling that was the case but in staying true to what she had told Cull, she wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. The city could change in a span of ten years but it appeared people still remained the same.

“I’ve known Rachel since we were kids.” Nayeli admitted, feeling strangely at ease to share with the Pastor, despite him not asking, “I appreciate you trying to help her. She’s been a lot”

“I only do as God tells me.” he responded, “But yes, Rachel’s indulged me. There’s a lot of work that’s needed to be done.”

Nayeli nodded, feeling a bit awkward now, “Well, I should probably go. It’s very late. Would it be okay to stop by to check on her occasionally?”

Joseph’s smile grew larger, “You are always welcome to come and go as you please child.” 

The two made their goodbyes before Nayeli began to proceed towards the entrance. Something was a bit off about the Pastor, but she couldn’t place her finger on it. He seemed kind-hearted enough, and she sensed no duality in him, but she couldn’t shake the feeling. She was just at the door when her phone began to buzz. 

Nayeli pulled it out, looking at the screen. Douche Canoe was texting her: _Positive I.D. on Elizabeth Prince. A few broken bones from impact being thrown into the pit. Cause of death respirtory failure caused by the snake venom._

She stared at the screen, a million thoughts coursing through her head. Sloth and snakes. How were the two related? Same with the Mendez case - how were Envy and being dunked into freezing ice water related? Whoever the killer was had very specific reasons for their methods of murder but what was she not seeing?

The detective turned about-face, proceeding back to the Father who had just began to head in the opposite direction, no doubt to check on Rachel.  
“Father! I’m so sorry but I do have a few questions.” 

Joseph turned to her, surprised but seemingly eager to answer, “Yes, child?”

Nayeli took a deep breath, unable to comprehend how she ended up in this situation or on this case. People being thrown into snake pits and others being drowned in below freezing waters. Yet, there was one link that connected them and she had nowhere else to turn.

“What can you tell me about the seven deadly sins?”

\-----

Nayeli left the church with a semblance of hope. Not much in terms of finding the murderer in question, but with a better understanding of the murders themselves. Whoever this culprit was, they were _punishing_ sinners. With Joseph’s help, she now knew the connection. The punishment for envy was to be immersed in freezing water for all eternity. The price of sloth, punished by being into a pit of snakes, and so on and so forth. The meant they had five more possible victims to locate before the kiler got to them first, unless they had already perished and they just haven’t found the bodies yet.

Despite the gruesomeness of the case, Nayeli felt slightly relieved to be getting somewhere finally. She had just arrived outside Pratt’s building following her visit to the church. He had given her a key in the first few months when she moved back. Probably his way of saying he wanted their friends with benefits to be something more. Nayeli only used it on nights like this when Vittoria was pissed off at her. Dealing with Vee was easy enough, at least for Nayeli anyway. Just give her twenty-four hours to calm down and she was good as new. Anyone else would be dealing with a life-long grudge.

She was sure Pratt wouldn’t mind if she dropped by unannounced. To be honest, he was probably asleep by this time considering how late it was. Nayeli herself was worn out after today. She knew as soon as she entered, she was just going to fall crashing onto the couch. She unlocked the door, heading inside. Shutting the door behind her, she paused, hearing something down the hall.

“Pratt?” she asked cautiously.

When there was no response, her hand hovered just above her gun, slowly making her way down the hall to where his bedroom was. Her stomach churned as she came to face his door. There was a easily recognizable noise on the other side. She knew it all too well. She pushed the door open, her heart sinking to the pits of her stomach. Nayeli knew she had no right to be upset. She and Pratt weren’t actually together. But why did she feel so nauseous upon seeing the sight of Pratt taking Hudson on the edge of his bed.

When Pratt realized they were not alone, he cried out, “Nayeli-fuck-!”

He scrambled for his clothes as Hudson gasped, grabbing the bed-sheets attempting to cover herself. Nayeli stood there in disbelief as Pratt approached her.

“Nay-it’s not what you think.”

“I find that real hard to believe Staci.” she sneered.

He took her by the arm, leading her down the hall out of sight of Hudson. Nayeli was too furious and paralyzed to yank her arm away as he tried to talk sense into her.

“What am I supposed to do Nayeli? I’ve loved you since we first met. Do you expect me to just wait around forever until you decide you want to be with me?”

“From the looks of it Pratt, it doesn’t look like you waited at all.” she retorted, finally tore her arm away.

Nayeli turned, leaving the apartment and slamming the door behind her. She made it back into her car in record time, her hands slamming down on the steering wheel repeatedly. Nayeli wasn’t stupid. She knew she could not expect Pratt to always be at her beck and call. He deserved more than what she was willing to give right now. The only constant she’s ever known has been her work. Constantly striving for that one day that she would be able to open the cold-case the was her mother’s murder. Until then, she could not give herself to anyone.

\-----

“You sure that’s all you want?”

The bartender awaited for their regular patron to answer before proceeding to tend to their other duties. The older man in question simply nodded, taking a sip of the whiskey set before him. The bartender left him be as he continued to tend to the crossword puzzle sitting before him. It was a mind numbingly dumb hobby but it kept his mind from wandering to corners where it did not belong. The main entry door went off, signifying that another patron had entered the premises. Jacob Cull huffed. He chose this time of night to come here for the sole reason that it was always a ghost town aside from himself and the bartender. Whitehorse was unable to make it this evening due to some matters that had came up but Jacob was rather pleased to have the evening to himself. Particularly after having just spoken to his ex-wife only a few hours ago over the phone.

The damn woman was moving across the country with her new beau, meaning she had to provide Cull with her updated address to which he could send her alimony checks. She really knew how to get under his skin. What words to use, what tone of voice. She was like a siren and she had played him like a fiddle and he was all too eager to dance to her tune.

Another swig of his drink and he finally took a look at who had joined him for the evening. His eyes widened in surprise to see one Nayeli Lamb sitting at the very end of the bar, looking as defeated as one could possibly be. She must have not noticed his presence at the opposite end as she spoke with the bartender. 

Jacob watched curiously as she sat her pulled out what appeared to be her case files, reviewing them over as she waited for her drink. Did this woman not know when to take a break? He waited a few minutes following the arrival her drink to move, taking a seat beside her. 

She must have been completely zoned out as his glass clinked against the hardwood of the counter, sending her jolting up. She looked at him with those large hazel eyes he was growing accustomed to in a furious manner.

“Jesus. Jacob you scared me.”

“I get that a lot.” He smirked settling in.

She didn’t respond to his quip, instead looking back to the case file. He had never seen anyone work so diligently in his lifetime let alone on their own free will. 

“You really ought to give yourself a breather, Lamb. The dead don’t have anywhere they need to be.”

“Yeah, well it appears neither do I.”

The Lamb took a hefty gulp from her beer, placing it back down. She kept her eyes focused on the papers before her but she’d look over at him occasionally. He had resorted back to filling out his crossword puzzle, determined to finish it before he finished his whiskey. He could sense that there was something bugging her underneath the surface. He wasn’t about to poke and prod if she did not want him to but she seemed eager to talk as soon as she reached her second beer. 

“I know why the murderer chose to kill the victims the way they did.”

She laid it all out for him. The seven cardinal sins each had their own corresponding punishment, two of which they’ve seen so far.  
“What did you do, just google it?” he smirked.

“No, I spoke with a priest. Joseph Seed.”

He snapped his pencil in half right then and there. There was a name he did not think to hear. His reaction seemed to have frightened the lamb who scooted a bit away.

“I take it you’re acquainted.” she uttered.

“More than acquainted.” he sighed as he downed the rest of his drink. 

He wiped away any lingering residue as he ordered another. When his second drink arrived, he turned to his partner. He could see the anticipation, how eager she was to devour whatever information he had. The girl had an appetite, he’d say that. But goody-two shoes in this city didn’t last too long, especially not in this line of work. It was almost cute how she continued to wait, sipping her the last of her beer with narrowed eyes.

“Well?” she finally spoke, “How do you know Joseph?”

The name in itself brought both anger and pain. Memories of a past he had thought he had been freed of when he moved here. Seemed Joseph must have had the same idea. Hope County. Where new starts thrived. 

“If you must know,” he huffed keeping her hinged on every word, “He’s my brother.”

\-----

“I walked in, they were just going at it. Her ass was just-up in the air and I just - I didn’t know what else to do.”

Jacob had his arm wrapped around the Lamb’s waist as he held her up, struggling to get her through the main entrance of his apartment building. The girl did not know her own limit when it came to alcohol it seemed, nearly falling off her chair after finishing her third beer. After divulging that he was related to the priest she had met prior that evening, they each got into their complicated family histories. Jacob wasn’t sure if it was just the alcohol or something else that possessed him to tell her about his complicated relationship with his brothers.

How they had been separated when he was a teenager. He and Joseph fought a lot being so close in age. Joseph was an idealist while he himself a pragmatic. He searched far and wide for his brothers following his service in the military. He had first turned to John, the most susceptible of the three. He had apparently became some big shot lawyer in Rome, Georgia, their hometown. Funny enough, he couldn’t even get through the main entrance of the law firm, being shooed away by security for _soliciting_. 

Next he turned to locating Joseph. Evidently he had moved to a small town out in Tennessee. Even got married and had a daughter. The meeting did not go as planned. Over thirty years apart from one another, they had morphed into two entirely different beings with no way to relate to one another. So Jacob Seed left, moving to Hope County, changing his name in the process. Much to his chagrin, she revealed that his drinking companion had spilled the beans on his other life ventures, making him both disgruntled and embarrassed.

From what the Lamb had told him of her own life story, she didn’t have it any easier. She had essentially devoted her entire life to finding her mother’s killer, forsaking friends, her other family, and lovers. She was a woman with a purpose, something that he couldn’t help but admire despite all of the bumpiness that had accumulated in their first few weeks of knowing one another.

By the time they had finished, he was surely too buzzed to drive, and she was plastered, going nowhere anytime soon. Fortunate enough, his residence was only a few blocks away. He’d pick up his vehicle in the morning and bring her along to get hers as well. For now, he was just concerned about getting her situated.

They made it up to his floor after a struggle of getting her out of the elevator, trying to balance her and her suitcase of files from their case. His studio apartment wasn’t the coziest that was for sure. A flip of the switch and you’d see he had just the bare minimum. A pullout couch, dining table for one, a recliner stuffed away in the corner with a view of the balcony. 

“Are we there yet.” she whined, eyes shut but somehow still trying to wander off.  
_How did I get stuck in this position_ he muttered internally as he sprung the bed from the couch. He tucked his arms under her, picking her up as he had once done with his wife on their wedding day. The mere gesture of it made his heart heavy. He held Nayeli for longer than was necessary. Her head was draped back, exposing her neck and other fine details. She was quite the beauty with her dark skin and matching hair. To be quite frank, when she wasn’t barking at him like a chihuahua, she might just have been the most enrapturing woman he’d ever seen. He placed her gently on the bed, tucking her legs under the thin sheets. 

Tonight he’d turn on the heater just for her sake. He’d suffer a sore back and neck in the morning to ensure that she got a decent night’s sleep. He’d do all this because he felt _something_ and it terrified him.

The former-Seed sauntered about in the kitchen, pouring a glass of water and two aspirins from a container. Taking the chair from the table he placed it by her side, positioning the water and pills so they were easy to reach for when she awoke with the inevitable hangover she would have in the morning. The veteran sighed in relief, finally removing his outermost layer as he took a seat in the recliner. He’d often stare off into the city lights until he passed out, starting his day all over the next morning.

He kept finding his gaze drifting to the woman curled up in his bed as he attempted to lull himself to sleep. The city's neon lights had competition for the first time in ten years. His eye’s began to flutter and his head began to roll forward, heavy with the sleepiness that began to seduce him. He took one last gluttonous look at his assigned partner before closing his eyes for good. 

He would give those dazzling lights up indefinitely it it meant just one more night of this.


	6. Gula

A car alarm from down below served as a crude alarm clock, causing the downstairs neighbor’s dog to begin barking, and continuing on the chain reaction with a baby crying from upstairs. Nayeli groaned as she turned onto her back, her head pounding at the mere sight of light that managed to slip past the gaps in the blinds. Nayeli’s eyes peeled open, begrudgingly, face to face with the beautiful sight of pain killers and water at her side. 

Sitting up after chugging away at the water, she looked about, realizing the surreal fact that this was not her apartment. One thought sprung to mind and she immediately looked down at her clothes. Same from the night before. Jacob was nowhere in sight but strangely enough, the scent of bacon migrated from the kitchen. Standing, she headed that way. She must have fallen through a rabbit hole of some sort, finding a plate of food waiting on the counter and a note and car keys beside it.

_Hope this helps with the hangover. Went in early. Feel free to take the day off little lamb, I’ll smooth over the Commissioner._

__

__

-Cull

P.S

 _Car is across the street._

Nayeli was taken aback by this simple gesture. Her lip twitched up slightly, unable to contain herself. Part of was not sure what to make of this, but she would not lie - it made her view Detective Cull in a whole new light. Hell, if she dared say it, she might actually start to like him as a person.

Nayeli finished up there before heading back to her own place, hoping that today would finally be the day she got some rest, but Vittoria Arya-Giordano was like a bloodhound. The moment she sniffed out cheap cologne or musk on Nayeli’s person, she was all over her with questions. Vittoria was standing behind the door as Nayeli began to shut it, causing her to jump and curse rather audibly.

“Vittoria what the fuc-”

“Please tell me you’re still seeing that mouse looking Pratt.” Vittoria began as she took a grip of Nayeli’s shirt sniffing it.

Just as Nayeli said, give Vittoria a night to cool down and she was good as new. Though in this instance, the detective sort of wished she was still angry with her so she could just have a few moments to herself. Granted, anytime spent with Vittoria was the best medicine for a broken heart so perhaps this was some higher deity’s working. Nayeli honestly missed Vittoria, feeling like they had not spent much time with one another since she took up her latest client, the mysterious John Doe she still refused to reveal.

“I _did_ go to his place last night,” Nayeli began, ”I also I found him shagging his partner.”

Vittoria gasped and took Nayeli by her hand. If there was one thing Vee loved more than sex, and Nayeli, it was gossip.

“Tell me everything.” the blonde woman spoke excitedly, “But first, we go get coffee because we’re all out.”

\-----

_I swear if I eat anymore today I’m going to implode_. Yet, Nayeli shoved another piece of toast into her mouth as she listened to Vittoria’s twenty-seventh question for the morning.

“You’re telling me you went to your partner’s house after a night of drinking, and you two didn’t sleep together?” she spoke almost appalled. 

Nayeli rolled her eyes as she smiled, trying to maintain a somewhat serious conversation, “I think after the whole thing with Pratt, I’m just going to stay away from workplace hookups.” she concluded taking a sip of her coffee, “Besides, Jacob isn’t like that.”

“Oh, Mr. Cull has a first name now?” Vittoria teased as she peered over her mug, “and what is this Jacob Cull like exactly?” she spoke with a dramatic flair.

God, how did she even begin to describe this man? He was rude, off-putting, standoffish, intimidating, but after last night she wasn’t so sure if she could even use those words to describe him anymore. If she was going to base it off last night alone, she’d say he was considerate, patient, and if she dare say kind.

“He’s just a man. What’s more to say.” she shrugged, “Besides, when are you ever going to tell me about this _John Doe_ client you keep spending time with?” 

Vittoria was sipping the last of her coffee, sighing with satisfaction before placing it down, “Nay, you know I can’t tell you. Client confidentiality-”

“Client confidentiality, yeah I know. But what if something happened to you? How am I suppose to know where or who you’re off with?”

“You’re such a mom.” Vittoria whined as she leaned back into her chair, “If I tell you, you have to swear you won’t tell anyone.”

“Come on Vee, you know me.” Nayeli urged.

The blonde-haired woman glanced around the coffee shop, like they were in some sort of thriller movie. Once she made sure the _coast was clear_ she leaned in over the table, a Cheshire grin taking up most of her face.

“It’s the District Attorney.” 

Nayeli nearly spat in Vittoria’s face to which her friend quickly peeled back into her chair. Nayeli coughed, attempting to clear her throat.

“Vittora, you’re kidding me. _John Duncan_?” she spoke in a hushed tone, “Isn’t he like a tool bag?”

“A tool bag with a lot of money, honey.” Vittoria giggled, “Which reminds me, we're supposed to meet for dinner tonight so I better go home and get ready.”

Vittoria began digging through her purse, pulling out a wad of cash and setting it on the table for the waitress to come to collect. 

“You do realize it’s like ten in the morning?” Nayeli teased.

It was Vittoria’s turn to look at her with rolled eyes and a humorous yet sarcastic tone, “One night away from me and it’s like you don’t even know me.”

The two women laughed before Vittoria took her leave, kissing Nayeli on the cheek as she passed by. _That woman is going to be the death of me_ she swore as she finished her coffee. She began to gather her stuff lazily, pondering what she was going to do with the remainder of her day. She happened to glance out the window of the cafe when she saw a woman seemingly staring right back at her from across the street. The woman was adorned in white and was barefoot, hair unruly and passive to those who walked by her.

“Rachel…?” Nayeli murmured.

Hastily, the detective got up from the booth, making her way outside. The fact that it was nearly thirty degrees outside and there Rachel Jessop was with no shoes or coat did not rub Nayeli the right way. From the time she took her sight off Rachel to the time she reached the outdoors however, she was already gone. Nayeli looked up and down the street for the girl in white, but in a city this large, anyone could disappear in a matter of seconds. Almost as if they never existed. Seeing as how she had nothing else to do today, her first thought was to visit the Church and see if Joseph had any updates on how Rachel was actually doing. Or if he even knew that she was out and about the city.

Nayeli had decided that was probably the best thing to do with her newfound free time when her phone began to buzz upon her approach to her car. Her heart sank as Whitehorse’s name appeared on her screen as the incoming phone call.

Crap. Perhaps Jacob’s _smoothing over_ did not go as planned. Nayeli braced herself as she held the phone up to her ear.

“Detective Lamb here.”

“Lorna’s Truck Stop. Now.” 

_click_.

Nayeli sighed. So much for her day off.

\-----

Lorna’s Truck Stop was about thirty minutes from the main city, located out in what many would refer to as the boonies. When the celebrities and social elite pushed further into the city, the drabble and less fortunate were pushed out of the city limits, usually winding up out here. Lorna’s truck stop was not far from her own childhood home. Nay was almost tempted to drive by just to catch a glimpse of it but decided against it. She knew the moment she saw it was the moment she’d shift her focus from this seven sins case to chasing after the ghost who killed her mother. She just had to keep telling herself, the soon this was over, the sooner she could get back to the cold case.

There was a multitude of law enforcement vehicles, and a few civilian looking ones littered in front of the building in question. Lorna’s truck stop was one of the first small businesses to meet their demise when big corporations shifted their focus to Hope County. Lorna was a lovely, older woman. A spitfire at times but she treated all her customers like they were family. Nayeli’s mother would often take her and her brother Takoda here to pick out toys from the quarter vending machines on Sundays after church when they were super young. When it went out of business, Lorna was out of a job and with no other career experience only saw one solution to her problems. 

Squatters began to take up residence there afterward, and but eventually, they moved on too. 

The large crowd for such a now insignificant building was quite puzzling. Even the local news station was one site, meaning something big had occurred. The moment she saw Jacob, Earl, Pratt, and Hudson however with another man she did not recognize, she knew this had to be related to their case. Pratt and Hudson’s reasons for being her eluded her for the time being, seeing as how they were on that drug ring that had popped up recently, but she was sure that would be explained as soon as she walked up.

As far as she could tell, there was a heated discussion between the stranger and Whitehorse, their voices carrying from over twenty feet away.

“I got a state attorney with his organs chewed up like jerky and the corpse of a junkie both with the word _Gluttony_ etched into their chests. Your team had better pick up the pace Whitehorse or I’ll bring my own men in on this.”

“My staff is more than capable of handling it, sir. I can assure you of that.” Whitehorse tried to defend the others.

“Then show me, or your position as Commission will be questioned in next years election.”

Nayeli wasn’t sure she even wanted to be a part of this conversation but the mention of _Gluttony_ was more than triggering so she continued onward. The man she did not recognize was the first to notice her approach. Of course, Nayeli’s heart began to palpitate as soon as she recognized him. Slick-back black hair, piercing blue eyes and monochrome blue tones throughout his clothes. She was looking at the District Attorney himself. She had only seen him in newspaper clips. How he was the youngest District Attorney ever elected in the history of the United States and also perhaps the wealthiest. 

He had begun to walk away, passing by her. His eyes lingered on hers before drifting down, a brief smile, like he was pleased by what he saw. Nayeli felt herself gagging internally. She really needed to talk to Vittoria about her taste in men. 

“Detective Lamb.” Whitehorse greeted her, obviously not his sunniest of greetings.

“Sorry sir. Long night.” she shot a look to Pratt and Hudson.

Hudson avoided her gaze while Pratt’s remained stoic. She looked briefly over to Jacob who too seemed to be avoiding her gaze. Nayeli’s eyes narrowed, wondering why the sudden change from the night before.

“Detective Cull, would you care to bring Detective Lamb up to speed? I’ve got a shit show to clean up with the media.”

“You got it boss.” Jacob responded almost solemnly. 

He looked to Nayeli, tilting his head, “Come on.”  
The lamb followed the senior detective inside the abandoned building. The windows had been boarded up and reinforced, way beyond the capabilities of any squatters who may have taken up residence here. Even both doors had been reinforced, appearing to have been locked from the outside. Inside the building itself was a whole different story. Nayeli nearly gagged upon stepping inside. The stench of rotting flesh was potent as Jacob shined a light on the two bodies. There wasn’t much for Jacob to explain. They had two male bodies. State Attorney Chris Martin and a local drug dealer by the name of Scorch, real name, Obadiah Yates. Both had been chained to opposing walls, Obadiah’s chain however seemingly longer, allowing him to get the attorney within reach. Obadiah had been stranded inside the buiding for who knows how long judging by the irritation along his ankle from the restraint. Mr. Martin showed no such irritation, meaning he could not have been in here for longer than a day. 

“What the fuck happened…” Nayeli muttered.

“Beginning stages of starvation.” Jacob uttered, highlighting the patches of missing hair along Yates scalp with his flashlight and then to the blood stains that adorned the surface area of his face and his hands, “Only thing to eat was just a few feet away.”

He drew the beam to shine over Martin’s chest. Nayeli drew closer to the body, covering her nose and mouth with her scarf. The attorney’s chest had been cracked open like a pistachio, his innards torn every which way.

“Okay…” Nayeli pulled back from the body, backing up, “...but why Gluttony?”

“Didn’t you know? Martin was a raging alcoholic. Scorch here a drug addict.” a voice from behind them chimed in.

Both Nayeli and Jacob turned, seeing Pratt standing in the doorway. He was holding a little baggy in his hand with three injection needles. He held it out before tossing it to Nayeli who barely caught it.

“That drug case Hudson and I were on? They were manufacturing someone called _Bliss_. Some kind of variation of scopolamine. The only difference is that it’s users get hulked out almost. Yates here had five times the recommended amount injected apparently. Cause of death probably cardiac arrest.”

Jacob seemed instantly annoyed with Pratt’s sudden interjection, switching off his flashlight as he approached him, “How about you focus on your case while we focus on ours.”

“Can you even focus there Cull?” Pratt retorted with a tone that was uncharacteristically cruel for him, “ I mean, with human flesh just sitting out in the open like that. Must make you real hungry just thinking about it-”

Jacob’s fist flew so fast into Pratt’s face Nayeli jumped back in shock. Pratt’s body stumbled out of the building, causing Hudson outside to begin shouting, What the fuck Cull-” 

Jacob was on Pratt within moments. He grabbed him by the collar, pummeling him in the face with no remorse. Multiple officers including Hudson attempted to pull them apart as Nayeli came running out. She could only stand there, stunned as Pratt’s body collapsed to the ground, struggling to fend off Jacob’s blows.

“Enough! That’s enough!” Whitehorse came rushing over now.

Nayeli, unsure of what to do did the first thing that sprung to mind. She ran over placing her arms around Jacob as she began to pull him back. Almost like he recognized her touch, he allowed himself to be towed backward by her as the other’s surrounded Pratt. The fellow detective had his hand raised up to his face, blood gushing from his nose. Hudson was already kneeling beside him checking on his injury, sending pangs of envy through Nayeli. Her focus quickly shifted to Jacob who’s breathing was deep and furious. Had her arms not been around him, she was sure he would have dove in for more.

“Cull,” Whitehorse’s face was red as a beet, getting into Jacob’s face, “You’re suspended, starting immediately.” He then looked to Nayeli, still looking ever perplexed at what the fuck just happened, “Get him outta here Lamb. Now.”

“Y-yes sir.” she stuttered.

Nayeli waited until the scene began to clear up. Hudson took Pratt back to their shared vehicle. Neither of them looked back at the other two detectives which was good because, at this point, Nayeli’s hands had drifted down to his, gently turning him towards her.  
“Hey…” she spoke softly, “You okay?”

The maddening look in his eyes had dissipated at he saw the concern in her face. With a long, drawn-out breath, he sighed, “Yeah. Though I’m sure you have questions.”

Of course, she had fucking questions. What the hell just happened between him and Pratt? And what the hell was that comment Pratt made about? When she looked at Jacob though, he looked almost guilty in a way. Ashamed. Whatever nerve that comment had hit, it had shaken Jacob to his very core. Nayeli felt guilty for not stepping in sooner. They were partners, and partners had to stick together, no matter what.

Nayeli shook her head, “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

She looked down, realizing she was still holding onto his hands. Her eyes widened as she quickly released them, avoiding his expression as she did so. This was too many revelations for one day. They had two more bodies, a new mysterious connection between this new so called drug Bliss and one of the murder victims, and were three sins away from reaching the finale. The question was, what sin was next, and who would be the next target?

For now, she figured the best plan was to get Jacob as far away from here as possible. Pursing her lips, she placed her arm gently on his arm, “C’mon. Let’s get you out of here.”

For the first time today, he smiled slightly, “Lead the way little lamb.”


	7. Temperantia

A few hours later

With their day cut short, Nayeli thought it best to just go back to her apartment. She was sure Jacob did not want to return to his own to sulk around and she frankly just wanted to be home for longer than five minutes before being interrupted by whatever else fate had planned for her. They rode in silence most of the way, and up the elevator until they walked through the front door. Nayeli was had just thrown her coat when she heard Jacob shuffling through the fridge and then proceeding through the cabinets. She opened to mouth to ask what the hell he was doing but he beat her to the punch.

“You got any alcohol?”

Nayeli walked over to him, shutting the cupboard that he currently had his nose stuck in. He jumped back, looking at her with a glare.

“You just got suspended, you think alcohol is going to fix your problem?” she huffed.

“Alcohol fixes a lot of things for me.” he retorted.

Nay’s face scrunched up, “There’s no alcohol here on account of my roommate. She’s been sober for two years now and I’m not messing that up for her.”

Jacob simply stared at her, his head tilting just ever so slightly. What the fuck was he doing now? Nayeli tensed up as he continued to look like he was looking for a flaw, something, anything.

“You care too much about people, Lamb.” he gruffed, “It’s gonna get you hurt one day.”

“God you are just-” Nayeli began to start but she paused, seeing in his expression that he was in no means being rude. 

That was just his truth. She recalled all the little tidbits Whitehorse had told her about Cull. How he gave everything to his country and got nothing in return. How he set out to find his brothers and had it blow up in his face. How he was married and gave her everything she wanted and then she just up and left. He wasn’t trying to be an ass. He cared too much and got nothing from it. He was giving her his own life lesson.

Nayeli crossed her arms over her chest, cursing herself for her conflicted emotions. This man was a conundrum but yet she still found herself, if she dare say, drawn to him. 

“You seem pretty close with Whitehorse so I’m sure he’s told you about me aside from what you already know.” He said suddenly.

Nayeli raised a brow, curious. Jacob shrugged like it was a usual occurrence.

“Did he tell you why I was discharged from the military?” He asked, tilting his head.

Nayeli gulped, suddenly feeling her throat tighten. It was odd that he was bringing this up in light of today’s events but she began to piece the puzzle blocks together. 

“I take it this in reference to Pratt’s comment.”

Jacob nodded, “My pal Miller and I were shot down. Separated from our unit. We were forced to walk nearly two hundred kilometers to the nearest base.” 

Jacob pauses briefly, waltzing over to Nayeli’s dining area, he removed his coat as he took a seat, sighing heavily. Nayeli remained where she stood, listening intently as he went on.

“We were never going to make it in time with the rations we had. Miller was already suffering from dehydration. Collapsed about halfway to the base. He was not getting back up no matter how hard I tried. So I did what I had to do to make it back to the base.”

Jacob peered over at her, probably to gauge her expression. Nayeli was, for the most part calm, but her stomach churned, putting the ending together before he could even finish. 

“Few weeks later they discharged me for being unfit to serve, and the rest is history.” He leaned forward, clasping his hands together, “Somehow, some of the guys at the station found out, despite it being classified.”

Nayeli was left feeling both incredibly awkward and heartbroken for the man that sat before her. What he had done...she could neither condone nor justify. He had been to hell and back, proceeding to be chewed up and spat out by those around him.

She approached him quietly, placing her hands on his knees as she knelt down before him, her face before his. He looked at her questionably as she looked up at him.

“Pratt had no right to say those things today. And I don’t want you to think this is going to scare me away.”

She could see his eyes soften as he continued to look down at her. Nayeli tried not to look him directly in the eyes for fear she may become lost in their shades of blue. 

“We’re going to solve this case. And we are going to shove it up so far up everyone’s asses they’ll probably need surgery.”

This elicited a god to honest laugh from her partner, “We need to work on your trash talk little lamb.”

Nayeli smiled in return, biting her lower lip slightly. Seeing him like this, vulnerable in a way she had not seen before made her gravitate even more towards him. Granted, they had a very rough start to their partnership, and she had sworn off office flings in light of Pratt's infidelity, but here, right now. This was different. He must have read her mind as his hands came to encompass hers. Nayeli knew she should have withdrawn her hands right then and there but part of her wanted to see where this was going to go.

She looked up, watching as he leaned agonizingly slow towards her. His eyes darted from her lips to her eyes at least twice in that time, making his intentions clear. Nayeli’s lips parted as she felt the. The brush of his beard against her skin.

She could nearly taste the heat of his breath when the doorbell rang, causing him to pull back immediately. Nayeli felt a wave of disappointment as they looked to each other like awkward school children. Nayeli excused herself as she went to answer the door. 

There stood an all to familiar sight. Rachel Jessop standing idly, no coat, no shoes. Just a simple white dress. 

“Oh my god Rachel, are you crazy? It’s like thirty degrees outside.” 

Without questioning why she was here, she gently took her by the arm and led her inside. From there it was awkward silence as Nayeli began to make some hot tea for the girl and wrapped her up in a blanket as she waited on the couch. 

Nayeli was half surprised Jacob had not simply excused himself at this point, but he lingered around, watching. 

Nayeli entered the living room, handing off a cup of tea to Rachel as she sat beside her. Jacob stayed near the kitchen, silently watching the scene unfold. Nayeli almost wondered if he was waiting for something to happen. The way he stood was tense like he was ready to spring into action. 

“Jacob, this is my old friend Rachel.” Nayeli said trying to break the silence, “Rachel this is my partner Detective Jacob Cull.”

Rachel looked at Jacob with narrowed eyes. When she didn’t respond, Jacob sarcastically remarked, “Real talkative. A real pleasure to meet you.” 

Nayeli rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the Jessop girl, “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with Father Joseph?”

The Jessop girl seemed to ignore Nayeli’s question, an upturned smile appearing on her face.

“I got a job interview. Cleaning crew at the District Attorney’s office. I just-“ she spoke sheepishly, “wondered if I could borrow something to wear to my interview.” 

“Rachel that’s amazing.” Nayeli spoke sincerely, “But...Father Joseph said you’ve been using again. You know they’re probably going to drug test you right?”

Rachel seemed unperturbed, “I’m not worried about it.”

Nayeli stares at her, wondering if she was joking or being wholeheartedly serious. 

“Okay, let’s go pick something out. Then I’m taking you back to Father Joseph.”

Rachel nodded before scurrying off to Nayeli’s bedroom. Nayeli sighed as she looked at Jacob who was making a circular motion with his index finger along the side of his head. 

“Cuckoo.” He uttered.

Nayeli glared as at him as she headed to her room. Rachel was off-beat, to say the least, but Nayeli was more than overjoyed to hear she had a job interview, even if she didn’t explicitly express that. Perhaps Father Joseph was making strides with her after all. As Nayeli entered, Rachel already had an armful of clothes in her hand, as well as Nayeli’s brush. Seeing her like this took Nayeli back to when they were just dumb teenagers. 

Rachel was at her house at least once a week, sometimes spending the night. They’d have nights like this where Rachel would try on Nayei’s clothes. The Lamb family was nowhere near being wealthy, but they had a bit more than the Jessops, evident by the clothes Rachel was forced to wear. Always two sizes too small or large, and always hand-me-downs. The girl was looking around as if she was missing something when she realized Nayeli was watching her.

Nayeli couldn’t help but smile as she reminisced, “Just like old times, huh?”

For the first time since they had been reunited, Rachel grinned, allowing a glimpse into her younger self.

“Yeah.” she simply responded, “Listen, Nayeli...when all this is over…-” the girl suddenly shook head, “No, nevermind. I’m ready to go.”

“Rachel-” Nayeli began, but the Jessop girl was already sliding past her back to the front room. 

It was time to go.

\-----

If her first ride to the church was awkward than this second car ride was a different kind of hell in of itself. Jacob sat in front while Rachel sat in the back, humming a tune Nayeli could not place a name to. Strangely enough, she kept fiddling with the brush she had taken from Nayeli’s bedroom. _Guess I’m not getting that back_ , Nayeli thought as she pulled up to the curb. Just as before, Rachel darted out without a word, leaving Nayeli and Jacob to sit quietly. 

She felt like there was some _unresolved_ tension. The kiss that wasn’t and probably shouldn’t happen.

Nayeli shifted in her seat uncomfortably, “Listen...about earlier.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jacob cut in, “Let’s just forget about it.”

Nayeli tried to not be offended. Perhaps it was better that whatever was brewing between them was snuffed out early on. After all, her heart still ached after the whole Hudson-Pratt fiasco, and she was sure he still had lingering feelings for his ex. She looked up to the church doors that Rachel had disappeared behind. She looked back to Jacob who seemed to be intentionally avoiding the sight of the church.

“I take it you don’t want to pay your brother a visit.” Nayeli commented.

Jacob didn’t take his sight off whatever it was he was staring at. 

“Today, I saw my youngest brother for the first time in over thirty years, and it was at a crime scene of all places.” he puckered his lips then began to shake his head, “I knew he had changed his name after we were separated, but I never imagined he’d wind up here.”

It took Nayeli a moment to process what he was saying, but seeing as how there was only one other person at the crime scene today aside from the others from the station…

“John Duncan is your brother?” she exclaimed, “The fucking District Attorney?”

_And also the guy Vittoria has been fucking. No wonder she keeps going back._

Jacob nodded, “Almost didn’t recognize him at first. Then it clicked. Yet, I said nothing. He had no fucking clue. ” he turned to look at her. 

Whatever energy he had seemed to be zapped out of his body just thinking about it, “I don’t think I have it in me to face two brothers in one day.”

Nayeli’s lips turned inward as she reached out her hand, placing it over his. He looked to her hand then to her face. No words were needed. She could relate to not having the strength to face loved ones. Hell, reckoned it had been over five years since she last saw her brother Takoda. Perhaps one day, they’d reconcile, but like Jacob, she just did not have it in her. Not today. No tomorrow. Not until she solved their mother’s case would she truly feel ready.

Tonight, however, she would lend her strength to the soldier and together, they would march into a new day.


	8. Luxuria

A few days later.

Vittoria Arya-Giordano was a woman of simple tastes. She liked sex, and she liked money. John Duncan was both of those wrapped in one, hence why she was particularly fond of him. Unlike her other clients, he catered to her needs as well, as evident by the way she laid breathless in his bed as he littered her with lazy kisses following her climax. She hated to admit it, but she was rather partial to him, and not just because of the reasons listed prior. She felt a sort of kinship with him, a chance to let her more vulnerable side out. She did have to be the domineering dominatrix that some demanded or the under-aged school girls other’s fantasized about. With John, she was just Vittoria.

“You can’t be done already.” he teased, nipping at her neck playfully.

Vittoria rolled her eyes and grinned as she sat up, “You know my rules Mr. Duncan, three hours maximum.”

She swung her legs over the bed, stretching out before reaching for a lighter and a cigarette that laid dormant on the nightstand beside her. As she lit the cigarette, his arms came to encompass around her. 

“That’s not what I recall from the other night.” he smirked. 

Vittoria turned her head slightly, blowing the smoke of the cigarette into his face causing him to recoil, “Then you just don’t have a very good memory.”

She could feel him pouting behind her as she stood up to dress. Vittoria had strict rules to avoid attachment. No longer than three hours, no kissing on the lips, and no cuddling. With John, she broke each rule at least ten times. She sat back down on the bed, slipping her shoes on. John laid on his side, watching her now place her coat on. 

“You know, I wanted to ask…” he spoke with a mischievous undertone, “I wanted to inquire if you’d be interested in performing at my upcoming gala to announce my bid for re-election.”

Vittoria turned towards him, her eyes wide like a child on Christmas day, “John, don’t pull my leg.”

“I’m being wholeheartedly honest my dear.” he scooted closer to her, “You would be absolutely amazing. And I need the absolute best.”

Vittoria, overcome with unbridled excitement, took John’s face into her hands, kissing him repeatedly. John pulled her into him, her body laying atop of his as their mouths enclosed upon one another. Vittoria broke apart for a brief second, gazing over him with an adoring smile.

“Does this mean I’m going to be your arm candy as well?”

John’s expression seemed to drop, making Vittoria feel as if she had said something wrong.

“I don’t think it’d be…” John began but Vittoria already knew where this was headed.

“What? Don’t think it’d be appropriate for the District Attorney to show up with a prostitute on his arm?” she snapped.

Already she could feel the tears threatening to cascade down her face as she stood up batting away at John’s yearning hands.

“Vittoria-Vee, you have to understand. I enjoy your company. I enjoy your company more than any woman I’ve ever met.”

He sat up now, trying to grasp her as she headed to the door. As soon as she opened it, he pushed against it, shutting it.

“Look,” he huffed, “Maybe after the elections are done. We can talk about _us_. But right now, my re-election is on the line. I’ll pay you to perform. How much do you want?”

“It’s not about the money, John.” Vittoria retorted, unable to keep her tears back now. _I thought this would be different_ , she told herself.

She thought that perhaps...just maybe…

“I’ll sing for you. But after that…I don’t know.” 

John looked at her puzzled as she stormed out of his bedroom, out of the apartment and out onto the street. The tears continued to sting her eyes as it mixed with her mascara. Vittoria rubbed her eyes furiously in an attempt to get the make-up off but only seemed to spread it further across her face. She huffed and puffed as her heels dug angrily into the ground. She didn’t know what hurt more, the fact that he had told her that this entire time, it was just a business arrangement, or that she actually thought he could love her.

Vittoria wiped her snot and tears away on the coat he had purchased for her during their first couple trysts. She wanted to burn the damn thing but knew she’d never stand a chance getting home in this cold weather without it. Her hand dove into her purse, grabbing hold of her phone. Vittoria growled in frustration as the _20% battery remaining_ notification popped up on her phone. She began to dial Nayeli’s number but paused. It was three in the morning, she’d feel awful if she made Nay come get her this late or rather this early. 

The two girls hadn’t been spending as much time together as they used to, but Vee could see the current case Nayeli was assigned to was taking its toll on her. To be a rookie assigned to a serial killer case? Count her out. It didn’t help Vee has been less than supportive, especially when Nayeli took in that weasel looking Rachel girl. Nayeli had a heart of gold; she’d take in any stray even if it hindered her. Vittoria wished she was selfless like her. Perhaps one-day Nayeli could give her a lesson or two.

Deciding against rousing her best friend from bed, she pulled up her Lyft app. A few button presses later, her Lyft’s estimated arrival time: fifteen minutes. 

_Fuck._ It was way too cold to be standing out here that long, but this was the elite district. No one was going to let a hot mess like her in. Vittoria bided her time by playing with her phone, ignoring the _10% battery remaining_ message that just popped up. Perhaps she should have heeded it’s warning as the screen turned to black. _Double fuck_. Vittoria whimpered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Perhaps she should bite down on her own pride and return to John’s. At least she knew he’d let her in. But she had already paid for the Lyft and she didn’t want to waste the poor saps time. Vittoria debated what to do as she stared idly across the street. Her eyes drifted from one end of the street to the other when she noticed something off between two buildings. The street light across the way barely illuminated far enough to give her a clear look but she could make out the silhouette of a hooded figure. A hooded figure whose face was obscured by some sort of mask.

Vittoria immediately felt a sense of dread as she began to walk in the opposite direction of the figure. She looked down at her phone, trying to power it back on in hopes it had just a bit more juice left in it. Her heels were obnoxiously loud as they clacked against the pavement, making her more uneasy, not knowing if the figure had chosen to follow her or not. She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes for just a moment before peering over her shoulder. 

Her worst fears were realized as the figure began to cross the street diagonally, headed for her position. The mask was something along the lines of a sheep, and in their hand, some sort of syringe. Vittoria was no idiot, she came well prepared to fend off would-be attackers. Most would be attackers were not brandishing a sheep mask or syringe though, and something told her pepper spray was not going to cut it tonight. Vittoria took off into a sprint, her high heels clicking violently against the sidewalk pavement. If running in heels was an Olympic sport, she would be its champion. 

She passed six city blocks before turning around again. To her horror, the figure too had broken into a run and was catching up fast to her position. Vittoria began to fumble as she attempted to kick off her shoes and ditch her coat which limited her movement. With a newfound sense of mobility, her speed picked up. This was not how she had planned her night to be perfectly honest. Her and Nayeli’s apartment was more than twenty blocks from here, and she knew she could not continue running like this forever. Vittoria veered off into an alley. She grabbed onto any debris lined against the alley walls, throwing it to the ground to try and deter the assailant in any way. A chain link fence barred her from proceeding any further than halfway down the alley. Vittoria looked back, the masked person crashing through the debris like nothing. Vittoria lept onto the fence, pulling herself upward. Her heart was beating with such an intensity she swore she was going to go into cardiac arrest right then and there. She bared her teeth as she reached the top, her hands being pricked and prodded by the sharp points that extended at the top of the gate.

She had barely made it over, crying out as she landed awkwardly on her ankle. The stranger went crashing into the gate, staring at her from behind the dark holes of the mask. Vee began limping away towards the end of the alley, fishing through her purse for the first thing she could grasp in defense. She pulled out a pocket knife disguised as a brush, removing it from its sheath. If she wasn’t mistaken, the monorail station was not too far from here, perhaps a block or two over. She made it to the end of the alley when she heard the sound of the chain fence rattling. She was sure as hell didn’t need to turn around to know they had made the same climb. 

_What the fuck, what the fuck do I do?_. She should have just stayed with John. Just stayed and sucked it up. Instead, she found herself in some fucked up horror movie. She saw the monorail station just up ahead, the sight of it alone gave her a brief glimpse of hope. That hope lasted a whole five seconds as she felt her shoulder being grabbed. Vittoria, clutching onto the knife jabbed it into the assailant's thigh, hearing them grumble in pain. 

While Vittoria expected a low-growl associated with a man in pain, this was much higher pitched. Vittoria did not wait around to guess the person’s gender as she booked it across the street. By this point, she felt her poor feet ache with every step, the harsh pavement cutting away at her. She knew she had to push through the pain though because seeing how determined this person was, well, she did not want to see what they had in store for her if they caught her. Her legs were on fire by the time she reached the top of the platform, having climbed the equivalent of three flights of stairs. The monorail was just pulling in, the only other person present was a man with a green hoodie and headphones on waiting on the platform. 

“Hey!” Vittoria shouted, an attempt to warn him about the incoming danger.

The sound of feet stomping along the metal staircase drew her attention. The person’s whole figure was illuminated by the station's overhead lights. They were adorned head to toe in black and were definitely wearing a sheep mask horrifyingly enough. Strands of long dark hair were the only other noticeable feature. It was like the pig-creature from that awful horror movie Nayeli made her watch months ago. Vittoria dashed forward as the monorail came to a stop. The doors had barely begun to open when she grabbed the man in green shrieking at him. 

“Get inside, get inside!”

The man was visibly startled, removing his headset. Who could blame him? Here was a woman with smeared makeup and no shoes screaming at him and a person in a sheep mask not far behind her.

He looked back and forth between the two, “What in hell’s asshole-?” 

Vittoria pushed the man inside the monorail without a second though, pounding on the window as if it would make the doors shut faster. Vittoria grabbed onto the man’s arm as the Sheep rushed for the doors as they began to shut. Had they been a second faster, they could have made it. Instead, Vittoria watched victoriously as they slammed into the doors, pounding on it furiously. The monorail began to move, leaving the person in the mask to stare aimlessly at their target as they pulled away.

Vittoria did not let go of the man until the Sheep was out of sight, and then finally allowed herself to collapse to the floor. The man knelt beside her, asking her if she was okay and pulled out his phone dialing 911. He asked her her name and other details about what just happened but she could not bring herself to even form any coherent words.

She broke down in tears as she clung onto the unnamed man. She cried as the police greeted them at the next stop, and she cried all the way to the station. For all she knew, she had been marked. Something told her, just from the way that person had pursued her, that they had done so with purpose. Something also told her that this was not going to be the last she saw of them.


	9. Castitas

It had been a quiet few days for Jacob Cull, which was odd, especially with the ever looming knowledge that a serial killer was lurking in the sprawling expanse that was Hope County. Of course, it only seemed quiet due to his indefinite suspension. Nayeli however was keen on keeping him updated on anything she heard at the station. The latest batch of news was in regards to the Bliss drug itself that they had found in their most recent victims. According to some other unrelated cases, depending on the dosage, it made the injected victim became either sluggish and lethargic, or turned them into a hulking beast which explained how the druggie at the last scene was able to crack open the other victim’s chest so easily and how the other victims wound up in their predicaments with little signs of struggle. 

So, not only were they dealing with a religious nut bag but someone who was familiar with drugs in general. It did not further their case in any way that was significant but it was a start. Frankly, Jacob was just pleased that Nayeli felt comfortable and confident enough to share more details about the case with him. He realized now in his old age he had no right to be so gruff with her in the first place, it was just a bad week in his case and she happened to be the first one to feel the brunt of it. After the night of the _Gluttony_ murders, he found himself unable to keep the little lamb out of his mind. She was there when he woke up and there when he drank himself to a stupor at the end of the night.

 _What is this woman doing to me_ he groaned.

Tonight was one of those sleepless nights where the whiskey just was not cutting it. He adjusted himself in his bed as he looked at the pathetic looking alarm clock nestled along the floor. 2:03 am. He sat up, feeling every muscle in his body screaming in pain. He ran his fingers through his hair as he stood, sauntering towards his kitchen. He fished his whiskey glass out from the sink when his phone on the counter began to buzz incessantly. 

One glance and his mood dramatically shifted. The words _Little Lamb_ appeared across his home screen. He would have been elated had it not been so early in the morning. Number one reason being that with her calling at such an hour hinted that something was amiss. Fearing the worst, he scooped up the phone already grabbing his outer coat, ready to spring into action.

“Hello?”

\-----

Never in his days had he rushed to the station in such a hurry, but Nayeli was damn near hyperventilating on the phone when she called. She did not say much, only that they had an update in the seven sins case. Marching through the front doors, he saw Nayeli and Whitehorse at her desk. Nayeli was kneeling before a young woman sitting in her chair, her face unrecognizable. Standing near the young woman was a scruffy looking man in a green hoodie, rubbing the woman’s shoulder reassuringly.

Jacob approached carefully, unsure of what he was walking into. The woman sitting in Nayeli’s chair looked up, causing the other’s to look in his direction as well. 

“Welcome to the party detective.” Whitehorse mused watching the burly man approach, “We got ourselves an eyewitness on your case.”

“Eye witness?” Jacob echoed his eyes looking to the young woman.

She was, to say the least, a hot mess. Her make up was smeared all over, her hair tangled and her feet bruised and bloody. Nayeli’s own coat was draped around her, the young detective holding the woman’s hands in her own. They must have known each other from the way Nayeli was interacting with her. 

“You’re positive it was a woman that attacked you?” the young detective probed.

“I know my way around a man.” The woman retorted, “It was definitely a woman.”

“Did you see their face?” Jacob interceded.

The woman shook her head, “They had a lamb mask on. But I’m positive it was a woman. Long dark hair, short and lithe.” 

“I can vouch for the pretty lady.” the man in green cut in.

The three law enforcement agents looked at him with raised brows.  
“Oh, sorry, the name’s Charlemagne Victor Boshaw the IV. But if you need more brevity in your day to day lives, you can just call me Sharky.”

“Did you see anything else Mr. Sharky?” Nayeli piqued.

The man shook his head, “That’s a no sirree po-po, lady. Just saw this beauty running and some dipshit chasin’ her.”

The woman now known as Vittoria placed her hand over the man’s, looking up at him with adoring eyes. Seems these murders may have caused a love connection between the two.

“Is there any reason this person may have targeted you?” Whitehorse stepped in.

“Oh honey,” the woman responded, “I am guilty of a lot of sins. I’m just surprised they didn’t try sooner.”

They carried on for another few hours, the crack of dawn seeping its way through the station's windows. As far as they could tell, and based off her chosen _expertise_ , this woman Vittoria must have been the intended target for the sin of _Lust_ or _Greed_. One punishable by being smothered in fire and brimstone, the other, boiled alive. Both highly unpleasant. The woman confessed to being in the presence of the district attorney before the attack, though she doubted that he knew anything more. Nayeli looked to Jacob at the mention of his little brother but his face remained unfazed.

His baby brother was not so little it seemed, keeping the company of escorts despite his position. Who was to say that he was not the intended target with all his money and lustful tendencies. Jacob and Whitehorse looked to each other, both of them thinking the same thing: This could work to their advantage. The woman Vee spoke of how John was hosting a gala to announce his bid for re-election, and that she had been asked to perform. Perhaps their target would strike again having failed for the first time.

After gathering as much information as they could get from the woman, Nayeli walked her to the front door, the man who identified himself as Sharky offering to drive her home. Whitehorse approached Jacob, patting him on the shoulder.

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” he asked.

“That depends.” Jacob huffed, “Am I still suspended?”

“Consider this your reinstatement.” Whitehorse responded.

The two men shared a knowing grin as Nayeli approached, looking puzzled as to what was happening between them, “The fact that you’re both smiling has me worried.”

Jacob crossed his arms over his chest, cocking his head at her, “Well Little Lamb, we got a plan but you’re not going to like it.”

\-----

“No, no, absolutely not.” Nayeli swore up and down vehemently, “How can you even suggest that!”

When a number she did not recognize popped up on her phone in the early morning hours, she was half tempted to ignore it but a gut feeling told her otherwise. After hearing what her best friend had been through over the last few hours, Nayeli was in no rush to put her back into the spotlight again, which was why she was so appalled by Whitehorse and Jacob’s suggestion. The grand idea was to use Vittoria as bait at the gala. This was the first time the killer had let a victim slip through their fingers so they were bound to try again. The other reasoning was that there were plenty of other targets there up for grabs as well. They would set up a perimeter to keep an eye on everyone who went in and out of the building and have agents on the main floor itself. It sounded good in theory, but not with her best friend left defenseless like a worm on a hook. 

“Man, or woman, whoever this killer is is slipping up. Let their own pride get the best of them.” Whitehorse encouraged. 

Jacob nodded in agreement, “A room full of socialites would be more than enough to draw them in.”

Nayeli looked at them both dumbfounded, “I can’t believe this.”

“It’s the only thing we got right now Lamb.” Jacob persisted.

Seeing no way of changing their minds, Nayeli conceded. 

“Fine. But I doubt Vittoria will be enthused about this.”

“

\-----

“Are you kidding me? I’m not going to miss that Gala because of some hoodlum. If there’s a serial killer after me, this may be my only opportunity to perform for the rest of my life.”

Nayeli felt her soul slowly slipping away from her body as she and Jacob sat opposite of Vittoria at their dining room table. Vittoria had done a one-eighty from the time she left the station to the time the two of them arrived here nearly an hour later. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, her face dewey and clean, and her body wrapped in a robe Nayeli couldn’t place anywhere other than being out of a black and white noir film. As if that wasn’t comedic enough, her newest companion was in the kitchen wreaking havoc. The sound of pots and pans crashing followed by a howl of pain.

“Sharky my darling are you okay?” Vittoria called.

“Doing just fine honey bun! Brunch will be served in a jiffy!”

 _I’m in the fucking Twilight Zone_ Nayeli thought, “Why is he here again?” 

Vittoria with a smug smile shrugged, “I thought he was cute.”

Nayeli groaned, eliciting a full-blown laugh from Jacob which made her heart skip a beat. This was a fucking shit show. Her best friend was hellbent on going to the Gala, even with a killer on the loose, there was a stranger in her kitchen, and she found herself falling further and further down the rabbit hole that was named Jacob Cull.

“Okay. Okay. We’re all going to the fucking Gala.” Nayeli said, defeated.

“Sounds like a good time!” Sharky shouted from the kitchen before poking his head around the corner, “What’s a Gala?”

Vittoria got up from her chair, scurrying over to her latest pet, “Don’t worry about it darling, just know we’ll have to fetch you a suit later today.”

Seeing that there was no dissuading Vittoria from this awful plan, Nayeli stood up from her seat, followed by Jacob to the door. 

“This is a horrible plan and you know it.” Nayeli gruffed as she opened the door, slipping out into the hallway with him.

Jacob shut the door behind him with a shit-eating grin plastered across his lips, “Just admit that you don’t know how to dance little lamb, it’s okay.”

“I am trying to protect my best friend.” Nayeli growled as she shoved him, “But you and Whitehorse for some reason think that this is our only option. We’re putting so many people at risk if this goes sideways.”

She felt herself growing more and more anxious the longer she lingered on all the ways this could go wrong. They had four bodies on their hands, no other leads, and maniac on the loose in the city. The gala was bound to draw every socialite with skeletons in their closet from all over, and her best friend was the main event. Nayeli shifted uncomfortable, garnering detective Cull’s full attention.

“Hey. Everything is going to be alright.” his words flowed in a tone exclusive only to her presence. 

His hands drifted over her shoulders, taking advantage of the moment, the two of them here alone in their own world. Nayeli looked up into the blue pools that one would call eyes. Her eyes drifted down to his lips, recalling that night where they had nearly crossed the boundaries of being just partners into fraternization. Every fiber of her being had to resist the primal urge to lean in and fulfill her inner need but she held back, sighing. After everything that had occurred with Pratt, she was not sure if she wanted to jump into something like this again. Not until everything was over.

“What are we doing Cull?” she muttered.

His head tilted to the side, “Whatever you want little Lamb.”

She looked back up, watching as his eyes glossed over her like a wolf enthralled by his prey. He subtly cupped her chin between his fingers, tilting her head up as he leaned in, her heart threatening to shoot straight out of her chest. She imagined herself pushing him away dramatically, _No, we can’t do this_ she’d say. He’d look disappointed but he’d nod in agreement. They’d forget this ever happened. They would move on.

That was what should have happened. Instead, his lips cascaded over hers and like a flower in bloom she opened for him. Their hands explored one another as he pushed her back into the wall. The subtle scratch of his beard against her skin was both irritating but welcomed as their lips danced with one another. 

The intense moment was abruptly interrupted by the subtle creaking of a door, followed by the voice of one Sharky Boshaw.

“Oh hey- sorry,” he blurted as the two quickly tore apart, straightening themselves out. 

“Yes, Sharky? Nayeli asked as casually as she could.

“Well uh just wanted to say there’s some bacon here if ya’ll hungry. I know sucking faces burns a lot of calories so uh, you know, protein would be good for that. Or you know, maybe a condom.” 

“We’re good.” Nayeli responded, feeling the embarrassment rising from the core of her body to her face. 

Beside her, she could hear Jacob’s low chuckle as Sharky nodded shutting the door as he returned to the apartment.

“Oh my god.” Nayeli groaned as she ran her fingers through her hair, “We shouldn’t have done that.”

“Too late to take it back now.” Jacob’s hands clasped around her waist, pulling her closer into him.

“No, I can’t. I can’t focus on this right now. Not Pratt. Not you.” she pushed him away, avoiding his eyes, “We need to solve this case so I can finally begin working on-” she stopped short. She looked up to gauge his expression. 

His eyes were tilted down, his hands sunk into the pockets of his pants, “No I get it.” He looked up, his eyes instantaneously losing all of its light, “I know you got your own priorities. I won’t get in the way of them.”

He patted her on the shoulder as he brushed past her, “I’ll see you at the gala.”

The young detective watched helplessly as he began to make his leave. She wanted to reach out and grab him, to stop him and tell him that while she could not afford to be his now, she would love to give it a try later on. She continued to follow him as he stepped into the elevator, at the last second decided to run after him. She reached the elevator moments too late as it shut on her face. Frustrated she pounded on the door, slinking down to the floor. She had held duty over everything else since she was a teenager. She had already lost her brother and father. Her relationship with Pratt being her latest casualty. And now, quite possibly, Jacob could be added to that list. Her devotion and loyalty to solving her mother’s case had left her with only one friend who may or may not be the next victim of a serial killer. What would she have left if she continued to push everyone away once all this was done?


	10. Avaritia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gala night! Just for reference because I'm a dork, Nayeli [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Le_dnpCLcc] and Vittoria's dresses [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Le_dnpCLcc].
> 
> P.S.
> 
> If there's an abundance of errors I apologize. I just finished a ten hour shift at work ;A; I will fix eventually lmao

A few days later. Night of the Gala.

“Alright people listen up!” seized command of the room “We officially have permission from the District Attorney to survey the Gala so we don’t have much time for setting up. Doors open at nineteen hundred so we only have a few hours to get shit done. Since the Bliss drug and Lamb of God murders cases seem to be overlapped, I’m going to be assigning all four of you to this particular assignment.” 

Whitehorse scoped out his four underlings, addressing Pratt and Hudson first, “You two I want to go on ahead and coordinate with the building’s security. I want eyes on all exits and entryways. We got some big wigs in that building, each one with some sort of skeleton in their closet. The perfect feeding ground for our bogey.”

Nayeli tried avoiding Whitehorse’s gaze as he turned to herself and Jacob.

“Cull and Lamb, I want you on the main floor. I want your eyes and ears open for any suspicious characters but more importantly, I want you to blend in to avoid attention.”

The Lamb hesitantly raised her hand as if a child trying to gather the teacher’s attention. Whitehorse acknowledged her gesture allowing her to speak, “Could you define _blending in?_ ”

“It ain’t that hard detective. Wear a Tuxedo. A Dress. Whatever you kids are into these days.” Whitehorse responded, “I just can’t have you standing out like a sore thumb.”

Nayeli nodded in compliance. _Vittoria is going to have a field day with this._ The Lamb glanced over to Jacob who seemed unfazed by this. They had not talked since the incident in her apartment hallway and frankly, it was driving her insane. She knew he had every reason to be upset. She had reciprocated when she knew she should not have but she was blinded by her own selfish nature. She could hear Whitehorse continuing to speak but his words were nothing but white noise to her as the four detectives began to split up. Jacob instantly began walking away, his back turned towards her. Nayeli made an attempt to follow after him but was interceded by another familiar face.

Hudson appeared before her so quickly Nayeli nearly tripped over herself. Nayeli 

“Can we talk?” Hudson was less asking and more begging. 

Seemingly unable to wait for a response from her colleague, she continued, “I had no idea you and Pratt were together. I would never do that to anyone-”

“It’s okay Hudson. Nayeli cut in, “We weren’t really...I mean we were…” Nayeli paused trying to figure out a nice way of avoiding this conversation altogether so she could catch up to Jacob, “Honestly Hudson, it’s fine. If you two are together then that’s fine.”

The detective peered over Hudson’s shoulder, scanning the room but finding Jacob nowhere in sight. With so few hours to spare, he probably left to go to his apartment. Would it be too much to show up there to apologize? She was being torn in so many different directions that she felt like she was floating alone, lost at sea, helpless and hopeless. Hudson continued speaking which began to irritate Nayeli.

“What?” the Lamb snapped.

Hudson seemed to be caught off guard as she repeated herself, “I said I called it off with Pratt after what happened. I know he still cares about you.”

The lamb looked at Hudson in disbelief before catching a glimpse of the man himself sitting at his desk. Pratt was on the phone but from the way he kept peering over, he seemed to know that they were speaking about him, despite being out of earshot. The look in his eyes was a mixture of both guilt and longing. Nayeli shook her head, _I can’t do this right now_. The lamb excused herself from Hudson’s presence, grabbing her own stuff from her desk before exiting the station. They had no time for love triangles and lover’s betrayals. Their killer was not going to just sit around licking their wounded pride forever. And after all, she had a party to get ready for.

\-----

“Oh my god, this might just be my best work yet.”

The last two hours had possibly been the most torturous hours of Nayeli’s existence. She had made the mistake of asking her best friend, fashionista and makeup fanatic, Vittoria Arya-Giorano to assist her in preparing for the Gala later that night. Nayeli had no idea that would include waxing eyebrows, upper lips and other areas she wished not to speak of. 

By the time they were finished, Nayeli could hardly recognize herself. Vittoria had loaned her a black dress, exposing more parts of her then she was truly comfortable with. Vittoria as always looked like an absolute goddess in a white gown. Side by side, they were the literal embodiment of opposites. 

“Oh, our ride is here.” Vittoria jumped up with glee, grabbing her last-minute belongings.

The detective looked at her quizzically, “What ride?”

——-

Nayeli tried to hide her face of embarrassment as they pulled up to the building in what she called the Flinstone car. Vittoria’s latest beau had volunteered to take them and Vittoria had happily obliged. Already the front door was flooded with politicians, celebrities and other of their like. The entire police force seemed to be present, keeping everyone moving along smoothly and checking i.ds. Hudson and Pratt among them.

Nayeli’s palms began to sweat upon seeing her former lover but the physiological effect only intensified when she caught a glimpse of a familiar redhead entering the building. She was petrified at the thought of him seeing her like this but she had no other choice but to put in a brave face and enter that damn building. 

“Go on in ladies, I’ll be up in two shakes.”

“Wait, he’s coming with us?”

“Of course he is. He’s my date for the evening.” Vittoria spoke almost offended.

Nayeli studied her friend’s face, reading that she was wholeheartedly being genuine, “You really like him, don’t you?”

“Like is such a childish word dear.” Vittoria tried to remain serious but her lips cracked into a love-struck smile, “But I really do.”

Vittoria’s face softened in a way that Nayeli was not familiar with. The fierce, volatile, breathtaking Vittoria was in love. A feeling Nayeli had yet to experience herself. Seeing the way her friend glowed, Nayeli took hold of her arm, hoping some of that confidence rubbed off on herself. But more importantly, her best friend had a show to put on.

“C’mon superstar,” Nayeli grinned, “Let’s show them what you’re made of.” 

Vee and Nayeli made their way inside, earning many well-earned stares. Sharky joined them not too long after entering the main ballroom, joining up arms with Vittoria while Nayeli took up her other arm. Vittoria could not be more in her element, smiling at a variety of men Nayeli could only assume to be previous clients, commanding the floor like an actual goddess. Like any goddess, she was likely to grab the attention of particular individuals, this time, the district attorney himself. 

John Duncan zoned in on the trio like a hawk, a plastic smile hiding the boiling annoyance underneath. 

“Vittoria,” you could hear the tension boiling with each word, “Why have you not returned my calls?”

Nayeli watched as Vittoria with a smug look patted John’s shoulder, “I apologize darling. Serial killers and my new beau here have been keeping me very busy.”

The color from John’s face drained as he looked over at Sharky who was chomping away on a shish kebab he had nabbed from a passing waiter.

“Oh babe, you gotta have one of these.” he spoke with his mouth full.

John’s face twisted in disgust and Vittoria giggled, “We will love bug, after my performance, which if you all would excuse me, I really must prepare for.”

Vittoria turned to Nayeli, kissing her on the cheek as a temporary goodbye before dragging Sharky away with her, leaving her with the district attorney himself. He was fuming out of his ears as he turned to her before a sense of recognition overtook him. 

“Do I know you from somewhere?”

Nayeli’s hands clenched together, unsure of how to react to someone of such a high position, especially knowing that it was someone her best friend was sleeping with and that this was in actuality Jacob’s little brother.

“Detective Nayeli sir. I’m part of the crew Commissioner Whitehorse assigned to this operation. We met briefly at the most recent seven sins murder.”

“Ahh.” he spoke with an enlightened tone, “Well, you look absolutely ravishing.”

Without warning, his hand snaked around her, his hand nestling into the small of her back, pulling her gently towards him. Nayeli’s first instinct was to shove him away, but if she did, she’d more than likely earn herself the boot from the gala, and lose any chance of finding the killer.

“May I be so bold as to ask you to dance with me?” he spoke coyly.

 _Fuck_. 

“I’d be honored, really Mr. Duncan-”

“Please, call me John.” he cut in as his other hand placed itself along her hip.

Nayeli looked just past him, wondering if Vittoria was not to far ahead to come to save her from this awkward situation. She did not see the blonde anywhere, but she did see a rather noticeable six-foot-something redhead looking about aimlessly. Her heart skipped a beat. Considering how their last interaction ended, she held a sense of doubt that he would even want to speak with her, but she had to at least try, especially to get herself out of this situation.

“I’m sorry Mr. Duncan, but I really need to speak with my partner.”

She removed herself from his grasp despite his objections. Despite the room filled with dozens of Hope County’s finest, there was he was the only one who had her full attention. She only hoped he felt the same way.

\-----

Jacob Cull was not an easy man to impress. In fact, there were few moments that left him speechless. Seeing his ex-wife walk down the aisle on their wedding day was the only one that came to mind. That was until he spotted _her_ amongst the crowd of the gala.

When he saw her, the entire room came to a standstill. He curved his head every which way to get a better view as the other guests stood in his way. As if time itself was moving in slow motion, the crowd parted down the middle for just a moment, allowing him a full view. He adjusted the collar of his shirt as the heat began to rise, casing his face to flame up instantly. She was without a doubt breathtaking. The curvature of her body, the sharpness of her jawline, the way her collar bone drew you in and as you worked your way up you became enthralled by her hazel eyes. He had never found himself for a loss of words but the moment she spotted him, he felt himself melt on the spot. She brushed her hair back behind her ear nervously as she looked at the ground, seemingly hesitant in her approach towards him. He took the moment to make sure nothing was out of place on his own person as she came up to him. 

“Hey.” she spoke meekly. She seized the opportunity to look him over and instantly he felt a sense of dread that she would be disappointed in what she saw, “You look very handsome.” 

From the way her eyes dazzled, he knew she was speaking the truth. This allowed the rising tension in his body to release as if it were a dissipating cloud.

“Thank you.” his voice uncharacteristically shaking, “You look...magnificent. You always do.”

Her eyes widened in surprise and again, she made the nervous motion to tuck her hair back behind her ear with a grin, “I know we're supposed to be on the prowl for our bogey but it’d be a bit suspicious if we were the only two not dancing.” 

“Well then,” he grinned, “Let’s fix that.”

Jacob allowed the little lamb to yank him into the crowd of bodies. The lamb and the wolf came to stand near the center, the light from the oversized chandelier illuminating their bodies like a spotlight was being shone down on them. Nayeli was not sure what to do now, but the moment Jacob began to twirl her about, she moved with ease. Every time his hand graced hers or even remotely touched any other part of her body, she felt her face light up with an indescribable warmth. He was gentle with his movements, leading her through every step or turn. When she’d stumble, he adjusted his own stance to accommodate her. She was bewildered by how elegant he was in all actuality. There were moments their moments were so smooth, she could have sworn she was floating. As they continued to dance, the faces of the other beings present became mere blurs. At this moment, there was only Jacob in her sights.

“Look at you,” he smirked, “You know how to dance after all.”

“Shut up Cull.” she retorted.

As the music died down, Jacob pulled her into him, her hands resting against his chest. Nayeli was out of breath but Jacob had hardly broken a sweat. He seemed amused by her current state, “Was I too much for you little lamb?”

Nayeli scoffed, like she had just been insulted, “Please, I am pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me.”

“Can you now?” he replied in a suggestive manner.

Nayeli’s face grew hot and flushed, stammering to reply, “I-well-”

She realized her hands were still on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat through his shirt, calm and steady while hers felt like it was about to burst from her chest. She withdrew her hands quickly, her right hand coming to rest on her other arm in a shy manner. She avoided his gaze as she stared off into the ground.

“Thanks for the dance.” she spoke with a sheepish tone.

She waited for him to respond as she stared at the ground. She had seen the subtle movement of his shadow, and the sound of words beginning to form escaping from his lips. Before she could make out what he was saying, a loud voice erupted over the already noise festivities, interrupting whatever he had to say. An announcer stood along the stage at the forefront of the room, gathering everyone’s attention.

“Before we get on with tonight’s announcement, allow me to introduce tonight’s entertainment, Miss. Vittoria Arya-Giordano.”

The crowd clapped politely whereas Nayeli, regaining her confidence let out a loud cheer, followed by a man shouting near the front of the stage, “That’s my future baby mama!”

_Oh Sharky._

Vittoria entered the center stage, the literal embodiment of an angel amongst a crowd of mortals. Vittoria and Nayeli spotted each other in the crowd, each one giving the other a knowing smile. The announcer handed off the microphone, all eyes now on Vittoria. As Vittoria began to sing, she found herself swaying back and forth, allowing Vee’s melodies to rain over her.

“ _~She makes my shoulders deflate, won't ever see me standing up straight-~_ ” Vittoria scanned the crowd, seemingly looking for Sharky. When she did, she blew a kiss to him, visibly upsetting John Duncan which made her chuckle.

" _~I would not wait, I would not wait. If I were you, I would have chosen her too.~_

Everyone in the room was so enthralled by Vittoria’s performance, clapping and cheering in a way that no one paid any mind to the intimidating redhead staring as the district attorney made his way up to the stage. Well, with the exception of one person. 

“He’s a bit of a creep, but you should go talk to him.” Nayeli nudged.

Jacob looked down at her with an inscrutable look, “Talk to him and say what? Hey baby brother, sorry I disappeared for thirty-something years. Heard you got a thing for escorts. Hey by the way, our brother is just down the street housing drug addicts.”

The lamb elbowed him in the side, her face scrunched and lips pursed, “I’m just saying.”

She could see there was an inkling of consideration in his face before deciding against it, visibly shaking his head, “Now’s not the time.” 

Nayeli was ready to object but her words were replaced by a surprised gasp as someone incidentally ran into her. There was a loud crash as a serving plate collided with the floor, it’s contents scattering. The woman who had been carrying it began to scramble, attempting to pick up the food items in a timely matter. Nayeli could only see the back of her head, her blonde hair tied up into an airtight bun.

Jacob’s hands began to grace her shoulders to see if she was okay but Nayeli quickly knelt down to assist the other woman, her hand gently grazing her back for balance and assurance, “Hey, are you okay there?”

The woman froze as Nayeli spoke. Her head snapped quickly to look over her shoulder, startling Nayeli as she stumbled back. 

“Rachel?” she questioned.

Rachel’s blue eyes gleamed back at her, wild, unnaturally dilated. The woman shot up and began to cut her way through the crowd with unnatural speed. By this point, they had returned to their inner circles, paying no inclination to the waitress darting through the crowd. Against Jacob’s objections, Nayeli darted after her. By this point, Vittoria had finished her performance, beginning her introduction speech to welcome the district attorney to the stage. All eyes were on John as he began his speech.

“I thank you all for coming here tonight.” he began before proceeding to a longer monologue, “As you all know, I have served this county dutifully for five years now and I would like to continue that service, if you’ll have me.”

Nayeli, disadvantaged by her high heels lost Rachel somewhere behind the back of the stage. Nayeli clung onto one of the curtains as she began to undo her shoes, knowing if another pursuit were to take place, she could not run in these. As she did so, she listened to John’s drawn-out monologue absentmindedly, her mind trying to piece together why Rachel was here, trying to rationalize. She had told Nayeli about her interview for a position at the District Attorney’s office, had she also had another interview for this venue? If she was working here, why did she run at the sight of her?

A low groaning sound cut off her thought process. It was like the subtle sound of metal straining against an unseen pressure. Nayeli tried to pinpoint the sound, first glancing over to John and Vittoria who shared the stage, then turned her gaze upwards to the catwalks. Up there, she saw something horribly out of place. There was some kind of contraption, a large container attached to some sort of pulley system. Holding onto what appeared to be lever was a figure draped in black with some sort of mask concealing their face.

Nayeli’s eyes widened recognizing them from Vittoria’s earlier description of her would be assailant. The mysterious figure seemed to sense Nayeli staring at them as they looked in her direction. She could almost sense the sadistic grin behind the lamb mask as they began to pull, turning the container over to spill whatever was inside. 

The lamb ran without a second thought. She could hear the crowd screaming upon realizing what was happening. John and Vittoria glanced up but too frozen to move. Nayeli’s body collided with them as boiling water cane descending down upon the stage. Some of it splashed onto Nayeli’s leg as she skidded across the stage, causing her to scream out in pain. Immediately her skin began to turn red from the scalding water but she had no time to lick her wounds. Jacob and Vittoria were by her side in seconds, hovering over her. 

“Nayeli, Nayeli, are you okay?” Vittoria panted.

Jacob assisted the lamb up as the crowd descended into chaos. John had already cleared the stage ordering everyone to remain calm as officers began to pour in. 

“They’re here. They’re here.” Nayeli kept repeating. 

Jacob, growling carefully handed Nayeli over to Vittoria, “Take care of her. I’ll be back.”

The older detective drew his weapon, darting off. Having worked security in a building much like this when he was young, he knew the catwalks were most likely accessible from another floor. He found his way to the nearest emergency stairwell, flying up the stairs in no time. He may be one of the oldest members of the force but he definitely one of the fittest. He went crashing through the above floors door, scanning the hallway. This level appeared to consist of one long hallway and a couple of doors, one labeled specifically catwalk. With his gun held up defensively, he reached for the door handle. 

The door swung open so fast his hand got caught in the impact, colliding into his fingers and knuckles. Jacob grunted, left stun by the numbing pain that the attacker was on him in seconds. The woman Vittoria was not kidding about the attacker being small but one detail had been left out. The masked assailant grabbed him by his collar, and with ease tossed him down the hallway like a ragdoll. Jacob wheezed as he landed on his back, his gun sliding just beside him. As he began to sit up, the figure charged towards him, a needle in hand much like Miss. Giordano described in her witness testimony. Snatching the gun up quickly, Jacob carefully aimed and fired. His shot was dead on, shooting clear through the figure’s palm, causing them to drop the syringe, shattering onto the floor. What he had not anticipated, however, was that the substance in from the broken syringe would seep into the open air. Being well within close proximity, Jacob found himself becoming nauseous and dizzy as he tried to stand up. He stumbled, finding himself back down on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. With all his willpower he tried to push himself back up but wound up back on his back.

Helplessly, he watched as the figure crouched beside him, their long dark hair dangling just over his head. Their mask began to duplicate in a blurry haze, the lamb characteristics barely recognizable. The figure reached up, tucking their fingers under the mask, pulling it up to rest atop of their head as they stared at him with a dead stare, or at least he thought so. So close and he could not even fucking make out their features, the drug in the air making everything begin to darken. He at least still had his hearing, hearing commotion from the stairwell he had just come up from. The figure quickly placed their mask back on, moving out of sight, not that he could see much anyway. Reminiscent of the nights he’d drink himself to sleep, darkness engulfed every ounce of him until he was left floating in oblivion, only this time, there was no telling if he’d wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're curious what song Vittoria was performing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Le_dnpCLcc


	11. Caritas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter is relatively short! Finals are coming and I wanted to get this posted before I'm lost to the void. This chapter is also very NSFW so please proceed with caution ( ͡ಥ ͜ʖ ͡ಥ)

“You sure you didn’t get a clear look at their face?”

“I told you already Earl, I got a whiff of some of that bliss crap and everything went blurry. They had dark hair from all I could tell.”

The Gala has been put in lockdown until every individual who entered the building had been verified. The whole ordeal took nearly two hours. They had begun to wrap things up around midnight, keeping the main players on the scene. Jacob had come to after blacking out, still pretty dizzy and nauseous. He currently sat on the edge of an ambulance as Earl tried to fish out whatever he could from his colleague. Jacob looked over to another EMS vehicle, spotting the lamb being treated for her leg wound. 

She had taken a nasty burn saving the District Attorney and her friend. Both Vittoria and the man Sharky sat on either side of her as the paramedics finished bandaging her up. From what they could tell, the assailant attempted to kill two birds with one stone, Vittoria the embodiment of lust, and John Duncan one could argue as being the embodiment of greed. Their attempt was sloppy compared to past crime scenes but they had orchestrated the escape perfectly. 

“No other possible leads?” Jacob inquired.

Whitehorse sighed, “None with substance.” 

The two men looked over to Nayeli who was struggling to stand. Jacob felt an uncontrollable need to rush over to help her but the feeling subsided as Vittoria and Sharky began to assist her. 

“I’m thinking Miss. Giordano and Mr. Duncan should be placed in temporary protection for the time being.” Whitehorse looked back to Cull, “I want you and Lamb to go home and get some rest though. You both have been through a lot tonight.”

Jacob began to object but kept his mouth shut. He was sure Nayeli would argue against being saddled as well but they had little to go on. Jacob watched as Whitehorse walked over to Vittoria and Sharky, pulling them aside momentarily, leaving Nayeli by herself for the moment. His body screamed to remain still but he forced himself up, trudging over to the little lamb. He removed his outer coat as he drew near, placing it around her shoulders. Nayeli glanced up at him, her eyes drained and exhausted.

“Something isn’t right.” she blurted.

Jacob looked at her with a raised brow, “What do you mean?”

Nayeli shook her head like she was still trying to convince herself of something incomprehensible, “They verified everyone who went in and out of the building. All except one person.” She looked him dead in the eye, “Rachel Jessop was never counted as being here.”

Jacob’s brows scrunched together, “That the blonde girl I met at your place? The one you ran after in the gala?”

Nayeli nodded. You could tell from her face that this was something that deeply disturbed her. The senior detective knelt down before her, taking her hands into his. The main thing they had right now was the fact that the perp had long dark hair, and the girl Rachel did not really fit that m.o., nor did she seem coherent enough to plan such elaborate orchestrations of death. But it was a bit uncanny that no one else seemed to have a record of her being present.

“Did you tell Whitehorse?” he asked, tilting his head.

He had met the Rachel girl for a whole of what seemed like thirty seconds but she and Nayeli seemed to go way back. The lamb did not need to answer for him to know that she had withheld that information, undoubtedly because she was still trying to comprehend it herself. 

“There’s just- there’s no way.”

Jacob stood, still holding her hands in his own, “This is Hope County, Little Lamb,” he paused briefly, “Anything is possible.”

\-----

It took a while but Jacob Cull managed to get Nayeli up the stairs of to his apartment. Unlike hers, he did not have the luxury of having an operating elevator. With Vittoria staying at Sharky’s that evening and after the events of the gala, she did not feel comfortable being at her home alone, so Jacob did the unthinkable and invited her back to his homey abode. This had disaster written all over it but he was not about to let her sit alone at home with her injury. He especially did not want her to be alone if the killer truly was after Vittoria. The last place he wanted Nayeli to be was in the one spot they were bound to look for her friend. Nayeli had her arm wrapped around his shoulders as the two of them tried to fit through. The combined effort caused them both to chuckle as he carefully maneuvered the lamb, overly cautious to prevent any more harm from coming to her. As they began to pass the kitchen table, he hoisted her up without warning, sitting her atop of the table.

“What the-what are you doing?” she spoke startled.

“We need to change your bandages.” he spoke plainly like it was common sense.

He grinned as she looked away, embarrassed as if she had imagined something else was going to happen. He took the moment of silence to gather what he needed from the restroom. She had been relatively lucky that the burns were not too bad. There would be damage left over but vanity was a price well worth paying over one’s life. He brought out some gauze and aloe vera setting them down as he grabbed a chair to sit before her. He could feel her eyes on him as he began to undo her bandages. The moment they were completely removed she squinted her eyes until they were nearly shut.

“Is it bad?” she questioned.

Jacob could not help but smirk, “Have you seen my face?”

His heart swelled as she giggled, “I’m sorry-” she began to apologize but could not contain her smile, “That’s not funny.”

Her face winced as he began to apply the aloe vera, gentle as he could be as he spread it along the outer area of her calve. He apologized softly. Being so close to her made his insides tremble like an earthquake, however, his outward appearance remained calm and collected, mostly for her sake. He began the process of wrapping up her leg, ensuring it was secure and comfortable for her.

“Thank you Jacob.” she spoke breathily, hinting at her exhaustion. 

The night's events took a toll on her more than anyone else present. Having her here, so close though- He pushed his thoughts aside as he got ready to stand.

“I’ll get you something to change into.” 

To his surprise, she held out her hands, pushing him back down into his chair. Nayeli looked surprised by her own actions, quickly withdrawing her hands as they rested over her mouth.

“I’m sorry.” her voice was muffled from behind her clasp, “I don’t-I don’t know.”

She had no idea what she was doing. All she knew was that as she looked down at him, she felt a longing that she had never felt for anyone. Not even Pratt. Their words from the other night echoed through her mind. _What are we doing Cull?_ she had asked. His response, _Whatever you want._. 

As if reading her mind, he parted his lips to speak, “What is it you want little lamb?”

The lamb knew what she wanted, she only hoped he still felt the same. She gestured to his hands, attempting to grasp them from her level. He smiled as he raised them, allowing her to take control of them. She placed his hands on her thighs, gliding them suggestively up and down. Grasping her hint, his hands grazed along her exposed thighs as she withdrew, continuously pushing up her dress. Seizing the moment, he spread her legs apart, his lips delicately grazing one of her inner thighs, leaving soft kisses every other inch. Nayeli’s head cocked back as she tried to contain herself. His hands encompassed her hips as he suddenly jerked her forward, making her yelp as she glided off the table and landed on his lap.

“Jacob Cull.” she scolded.

His hands encompassed the sides of her face, quickly silencing her. The two stared at one another, anticipating the other’s first move. Jacob’s hands began to explore, pulling down the straps of her dress past her shoulders. His fingers traced her collar bone and then down between her breasts, taking his time, keeping her waiting in anticipation. Nayeli decided after a few moments of wandering eyes that she was done waiting.

She pulled his face up to her level, her lips setting upon his; a quick peck, testing the waters, waiting for that same rejection that she had forced him to face once before. When he did not pull back, she kissed him again. Then again until his lips curved up against hers. Her nerves were almost electrifying, her lips quivering as his tongue parted her lips, slipping inside her mouth. This elicited a moan from the young woman, triggering Jacob’s hands to wrap around her, nearly engulfing her entire frame like a tidal wave engulfing a small boat. His mouth tasted slightly metallic, but it was also warm and welcoming. Whatever tenseness she had in her body quickly turned to the feeling of floating adrift in his arms. His hands carefully drifted up and down her back, shaking like he was nervous he would break her at any moment. Their lips and tongues continued their dance for a while longer, their necks craning at every which angle, unable to satisfy one another’s hunger. Eventually, Jacob did pull away, clearing his throat as he ran his fingers gently through her hair.

He said nothing before standing up with her in tow, her legs wrapped his waist. He traveled over to a empty wall, pushing her against it. She began to lower her legs to the floor, unable to keep them up with her current injury, but the two quickly adapted. Nayeli began to undo his button up as he plunged his face into the nape of her neck, biting playfully and surprising her with the occasional sucking. As soon as his upper body was exposed he took his turn and slid his hands under the slit of her dress, pulling down on her underwear until it fell around her ankles. Without warning, he turned her around, her cheek and chest resting against the wall as he pinned her hands. His lips continued to wander her neck, making her writhe in agony as her core began to burn with unkempt desire.

Sensing her growing desperation, he reached his hand once more under her dress, this time, with no barriers in his way. Without a moment's hesitation, his fingers danced along her clit, gently circling and rubbing. Nayeli whimpered at his touch, easing into it as his other hand released her waist, encompassing her breasts, fondling and grasping with greed. His fingers began to move faster, flicking against her. Nayeli lowered one hand to push against the one that Jacob used to make her wet with every passing second. Her other hand was hard-pressed against the wall, surrendering her body to the wolf. Jacob’s hot breath trickled down her neck as he continued to pick up the pace, causing her thighs to tighten as she began to squirm when he promptly slipped a finger inside her, followed by a second one, slowly thrusting in and out. The young detective couldn’t help but whimper as she began to thrust herself onto him, syncing in unison with the movement of his fingers. Jacob continued to kiss her neck hungrily, now leaving little bit marks as he tasted her skin.

“Jacob…” she mewled, “Please.”

Without warning, his hands withdrew, causing her to gasp. She could hear him fiddling with his belt before a loud _clink_ sound filled her ears, signifying it had fallen to the floor. Already Nayeli could feel his hardened self pressed against her through the fabric of her dress. Without warning, he nearly tore her dress from her body, her entire backside exposed to him. This was not enough for him however, he wanted every inch of her. He twirled her around carefully, mindful of her injury. He gawked at her in near disbelief. Before Nayeli could feel any sort of self-consciousness he picked her up, treading over to his bed. After he lowered her gently down, they quickly picked up where they had left off. 

Pulling the covers over their bodies he hovered over her, scooping her hair to one side allowing him access to her neck without interference. His calloused hands grasped her shoulders as he pressed himself against her, his lips gracing her shoulder blade as they worked upward along her neck. Nayeli let out an audible gasp, tilting her head back to rest against the pillow as he began alternating between sucking at different areas of her neck and showering her in kisses.

His stiff cock brushed against her opening, sending shivers down her entire body considering how sensitive it was at this moment. He seemed to be hesitating, but Nayeli continuously arched her hips upward, grinding against him. He paused his kisses to gaze at her, brushing any stray strands of hair out of her face. Nayeli, breathing heavily stared back up at him, deciphering what he was thinking.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, recalling how many times they had danced about one another, refusing to give in, refusing to take it any further. 

At this point, it seemed pointless to ask, but for some reason, Nayeli couldn’t answer. Her lips quivered, wanting his mouth around her; it didn’t matter where she just wanted his lips to graze her skin. She wanted to feel him inside her, she wanted him to take her body as his own in whatever way he pleased.

“I want you.” she finally uttered as she moved her legs apart for him.

She did not have to wait long. Jacob slowly inserted himself, grunting as Nayeli whimpered. Jacob’s mouth went agape as he continued to press forward. Nayeli had been taken off guard by his girth and length. She did her best to relax, allowing a smoother transition as Jacob began to thrust in and out carefully. Nayeli threw her hands around his back, clawing as she pushed her hips into him. The lamb began to whine with pleasure as his strokes became slower, but combined with harder thrusts. Mimicking the movement of his hips, she pushed herself against him. The more she audibly voiced her pleasure through whimpers and groans, the wider the smile on his face became before his mouth became ajar, his thrusts once again picking up the pace as he walked the line between continuing or climaxing right there. He reached one hand between her thighs once more, dancing along her already delicate area as she began to pant. She couldn’t hold it any longer.

She came with an audible moan, her body becoming rigid before relaxing atop of the bed. Jacob finished inside her with a shudder, his body nearly collapsing over hers. As he pulled out, a spool of warm liquid spilled out from between her thighs. He fell beside her on the bed, pulling the panting lamb to his chest. He stroked her hair gently as he waited for her to catch her breath. They lay there in silence until Jacob turned onto his side, facing the lamb. Her eyes were half closed, half in reality and the other half in a dream-like state. As much as Jacob Cull wanted to relish in this moment, he could not help but feel the burning need to ask...was this a one-time occurrence? 

Like she had been wondering the same thing, Nayeli’s lips parted to speak, “I don’t want this to end.” she spoke softly, innocently.

Jacob reached out caressing her cheek, “It doesn’t have to.” He pulled her face into his, their lips barely touching, “I want to be with you.” he whispered against her before kissing her lips gently, “Only you.”

Even if this was a one night stand, he’d treasure this moment with her for the rest of his days. Never in his life had someone had such an effect on him. Frankly, he was terrified of letting someone else in after all he had been through, but he knew that she must have felt the same. Together though...perhaps they could fill up the empty parts of each other. He pulled back partially, awaiting her response. The lamb, almost with a smile of relief smiled back at him as she cupped his face in her hands, leaning in to kiss him once more as she repeated his words.

“Only you.”


	12. Ira

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay in updates! Final kicked my butt but i'm happy to report I got straight A's XD
> 
> anyway, as always, I hope you guys enjoy! (so sorry for the lack in length - next few chapters should make up for it ;) )

Morning came without warning for the two lovers as they found themselves ensnared upon one another. Nayeli’s arm was locked around his torso, her head nuzzled into his shoulder, sound asleep. Jacob Cull had been awake for hours now but he could not bring himself to disturb the lamb's sleep, even if his whole body craved to move about. The young detective must have sensed his inner debate as she began to shift, opening her eyes lazily. Her makeup from the night before had migrated from its origin, and her hair was poofed up to one side. He had never seen a more beautiful sight. He smiled as he leaned in, kissing her on the forehead.

“Good morning Lamb.”

“Hello.” her voice was sweet, still half asleep.

Without warning, her eyes shot open as she looked to the clock on the floor, suddenly jolting up from bed. It startled Jacob as he quickly sat up watching her as she began to scramble, searching for her clothes. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked concerned.

“I have to get to the church. I need to see where Rachel was last night.” she spoke hurriedly.

 _There she is_ he mused, the workaholic. As she limped about the room, she stumbled over his belt laying on the floor, nearly falling. Jacob was quick to his feet as his hands wrapped around her, keeping her from causing any more harm to herself.

“I have an idea,” he spoke almost sarcastically, “You get some rest, and I’ll go to the church.”

Nayeli glared at him but he knew she could not deny that he had a point, “Fine.” She pouted as he brought her in for a kiss. 

His lips lingered over hers, wondering if perhaps they could just postpone the investigation a little bit longer. What had happened last night or rather in the early morning hours was something he wanted to cherish for as long as possible. He kissed her again, unable to help himself before pulling away. _Best to get going._ After all, there was something he had to do at the church. Someone to see. 

He had been avoiding this reunion for far too long.

\-----

This cathedral was a step up from the last church he had seen Joseph inhabit. A lot more disconcerting too. Jacob browsed casually, his hands running along the pews and he walked, picking up specks of dust along the way. Aside from it’s obvious inhabitants, it did not seem like this church got a lot of traffic coming through.

“May I help you?” A voice called out from behind him.

Jacob Cull’s shoulders straightened out, a reaction to hearing that all too familiar voice. He reached into his inner coat pulling out his badge as he turned around. There was the man himself. Joseph Seed. He had not changed since the last time Jacob had seen him. Joseph seemed startled to see his older brother standing before him. Unsettled more like. 

“Brother.” He spoke breathily, “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see you little brother.” Jacob spoke coyly as he held up his badge, “Also came here to ask you a few questions.”

\-----

Jacob and Joseph sat across from one another for the next hour or so, politely sipping on tea that Joseph had provided. Before he could get to the questioning, he first had to know what brought Joseph to Hope County in the first place. Joseph explained that they had shut down his congregation back in Tennessee so he thought it would be good for his family to have a fresh start. Hope County was shaping up to be the place where everyone flocked to just for that specific purpose. For a time they lived in bliss. A year after moving here, however, a erratic driver crashed into his wife’s vehicle on the outskirts of the county. She had just picked up their daughter from school and were on their way to pick up dinner for that night. They both perished on impact. Since then, it only seemed to get worse for the pastor. As Hope County grew, his congregation dwindled, each one no doubt finding that religion was of less importance than whatever materialistic needs had caught their eye. The only person who remained was a young woman. Rachel Jessop.

Jacob listened with a solemn look on his face as he set down his drink, “I’m sorry for your loss brother.”

Joseph nodded in acknowledgement before taking a sip of his tea once more. Clearing his throat, he peered up from behind his yellow aviators.

“Have you had any contact with our baby brother?” he asked.

“Funny you should say that.” Jacob leaned forward, setting his arms on the table, “He’s here in Hope County too. Someone tried to murder him last night at his own gala.”

While Joseph’s face was certainly expressive in describing the death of his wife and daughter, he seemed less inclined to even raise a brow at the mention their brother had nearly been killed.

“Do you know who would do such a thing?” Joseph asked in a monotone voice, completely devoid of any sympathy. 

Jacob made a mental note of this as he leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms across his chest. The motion left him feeling a bit woozy which was a tad bit odd but he shook the feeling off almost as quickly as it had occurred. 

“That’s what I’m here to find out. Is Rachel Jessop here by chance? I’d like to ask her a few questions.”

Joseph stared at Jacob, his eyes peering up just over his glasses in a cold dead stare, “She’s currently at her job at the district attorney’s office.” It was Joseph’s turn to lean across the table, his gaze narrowing, “I can assure you, Rachel was here all evening yesterday.”

Jacob’s lip curled up, unable to believe that his brother could lie so blatantly, “I happen to have an eye witness, including myself, who saw Rachel at the gala last night. She wasn’t on any registered lists. So how did she worm herself in?”

Joseph stood up abruptly, his chair making a horrible screeching sound against the floor, “I will not say anything more, unless you have more substantial evidence enditing that poor girl. For now, I’d say this conversation is over.”

Jacob took one last sip of his tea before standing up. As he did so, he nearly went stumbling into the table itself. _What the fuck._ Attempting to stand up straight, he noticed the room was becoming increasingly unstable. The walls swayed and the lights continuously changed in brightness.

“That detective your are seeing.” he could hear Joseph’s voice say, the only thing not distorted, “She truly is a beauty.”

“What the hell did you just say?” Jacob growled as he attempted to round the table.

The way Joseph had said it, it sparked a defensive instinct, like he had somehow just threatened Nayeli in some way. As he circled around the table, he stumbled, his body going into a free fall. He grasped onto the table in an attempt to steady himself, but the only thing he achieved was bringing it down with him. The tea spilled to the floor, and Jacob realized in that instance exactly what Joseph had given him.

“A shame, neither of you could leave well enough alone.” Joseph’s voice continued, “I was looking forward to spending time with you brother. Just not like this.”

Jacob managed to turn himself onto his back, seeing the silhouette of Joseph, the light’s above blocking out any recognizable features. A moment later, a second figure came into view. Undoubtedly a woman, though the same could be said for her as for Joseph. Her features were completely blacked out. Soon enough, Jacob could see nothing at all as darkness overwhelmed him.

\-----

Nayeli mosied around Jacob’s apartment following his departure for another hour, tidying up what she could. It was the least she could do, he had been her one constant during this entire case and after last night, she was sure that there was no one else she wanted to be with. Which meant she had to officially end things with Pratt. Granted, she considered them over when she stumbled upon his and Hudson’s tryst, but she still had his key which would be the final nail in that coffin.

It took her a bit longer to make it across town given her leg injury, having to go home and change first, but she eventually made it to his building via taxi. One elevator ride later, she approached his apartment door, fishing around in her purse for the key he had given her. She grew frustrated, unable to find it. Had she left it at home? Sighing, she went to knock on the door. There was always the chance that he was at work, but considering all the chaos last night she had partially anticipated that and she’d simply have to return later with the key. The door swung slightly open after the first knock which struck her as a bit odd. She placed her palm against the door, swinging it open as she called his name.

“Staci?”

The front room was immaculate, uncharacteristically so. She peered into the kitchen and then into the dining area. No sign of Pratt there. She peered down the hallway, seeing a hint of his bedroom light shining into the shadowed hallway. She approached cautiously, listening intently. It was dead silent, the only sound being that of her own breath. As she neared the door, she smelt a rancid stench. Holding her hand over her mouth to keep from breathing the foul smell in, Nayeli pushed the door open quickly, revealing what hid behind.

There were no words to describe the scene that she saw. It looked as if a bomb of blood had exploded in the room, blood splattered on the ceiling and all over the walls and floor. At the center of the room sat the bed with severed body parts ritually placed atop of it. There was no mistaking Pratt’s tousle of messy hair, his severed head laying a top of his pillow. Nayeli threw up on the spot, unable to hold it in. She fell to her knees trembling and screaming, scrambling for her phone. Against common sense, she called Jacob first. His phone however went straight to voicemail. After that failed, she dialed 9-1-1. As she waited for the operator to pick up, she carefully walked towards the corpse that had once been one of her best friends and lovers. She took the flashlight from her phone, shining it over his chest. Her worst fears were confirmed as she saw the carving marks in his chest.

_W-R-A-T-H._


	13. Patientia

The police arrived no later than five minutes later, taping up the scene and escorting Nayeli down to the station to gather further information from her. This was undoubtedly the work of their Lamb of God killer. The punishment for wrath being one of the most gruesome punishments of all: being dismembered alive. Nayeli Lamb however could not comprehend how Pratt had been selected for such a sin. Sure, he had his bouts with others. Hell she’d seen him instigate a bar fight in the early months when she had moved back to Hope County. But petty fights were not enough to warrant such a cruel ending. 

She had thrown up twice on the way to the station and then another once she entered the building. Oddly enough, they escorted her to one of the interrogation rooms, leaving her there with no phone, no purse, and way of knowing what the hell was going on. Her mind trailed to Jacob. She wondered if perhaps he had found out anything in regards to Rachel and her appearance at the gala. 

Guess she wouldn’t be finding out anytime soon as she watched Whitehorse enter, a solemn look on his face. He removed his hat, holding it to his chest as he approached her. She was still quite visibly upset and being in here only intensified that feeling. 

“What the hell is going on Earl? Why am I in here?”

She felt guilty for lashing out at him, seeing as how he took looked devastated by their loss. With a heavy sigh, he sat upon the desk.

“What was the nature of your relationship to Detective Staci Pratt?”

Nayeli felt the blood drain from her face, staring at him, confused. Whitehorse glances at the double-sided window and then leaned in towards her, his words for her alone.

“The District Attorney is on the other side of that mirror. He thinks you may be our killer.” 

Nayeli opened her mouth to speak but she quickly bit her tongue. _I saved this assholes life and he thinks I’m the killer?_ How was she supposed to get herself out of this? Her word versus the District Attorney of all people. She was a fish in a barrel with no way out. Whitehorse sensed her fear and tried to reassure her while at the same time being as blunt as possible with her.

“I don’t believe you did anything, but they found bloodied clothes in the bathroom with your hair on it.” 

Nayeli looked perplexed as he continued to list other implications: a brush with her hair, a lone key that was used to enter the apartment, her finger prints on nearly every surface imaginable. It did not help that her surname was Lamb. Killers more often than not wanted to be known for their work, hence the use of a Lamb mask. Nayeli’s head ran wild as she tried to wrap her head around this. How could her clothes be at the scene if…

Her mind began to do work as she recalled the day that Rachel had come to her house, asking to borrow clothing for her interview. The hair brush and clothing had been taken taken after she had found out about Pratt and Hudson. Had she also taken her spare key as well?

“Whitehorse, I would never, ever hurt Pratt or anyone else.” Nayeli pleaded.

Whitehorse hung his head low, no doubt feeling the pressure from eyes that were outside of this room, “Where did you go after the gala last night?”

Again, Nayeli kept her mouth shut. She needed to call Jacob. Get in contact with him somehow. If they already had it in their minds she had done it, who was to say that they did not also think that her partner was involved as well. 

“Am I under arrest Commissioner?” Nayeli asked, avoiding his question. 

“Not officially.” Whitehorse eased.

Nayeli stood up from her chair, staring into the double sided mirror. She oh so badly wanted to flip off John from behind that window, but she had to play nice for now.

“I want to make a phone call.”

\-----

The young detective waited anxiously for another two hours before she was able to actually use the phone. Whitehorse had left the station, returning to Pratt’s crime scene in hopes of finding evidence to clear her name which meant she was left at the mercy of the District Attorney in the meantime. There was not a moment where his eyes weren’t on her, even now as she used one of the public phones at the station. She stared on straight ahead, avoiding his gaze as the phone continued to ring and ring endlessly before going straight to voicemail once again. Jacob was not answering. That alone raised a red flag. He was quick to answer anytime she called, so the fact that she had not a single missed call from him was making her worried. She should not have let him go to that church alone. Who knew what the fuck was going on, or who to even trust right now. She hung up the phone and then began frantically typing in another number. There was a brief pause before the person on the other line answered.

“...Hello?” the woman’s voice asked, not recognizing the number.

“Vee. Oh my god thank god.” Nayeli muttered.

Vittoria was quick to jump into the concerned friend tone, “Nayeli? What-what’s going on? Who’s phone are you calling from?”

“I don’t have a lot of time.” Nayeli replied, “Pratt is dead. They think I did it. I sent Jacob to the church. I need you to go and see what you can find out but you have to do it without being seen..”

“Oh okay…” Vittoria sounded hesitant over the phone, “What exactly am I looking for?”

“Something, anything.” Nayeli continued to grow flustered, “I think Rachel is the killer. She planted evidence to use against me, I just need proof. The priest, Joseph, I think he’s covering for her so you’ll need to avoid him.”

Once again, Vittoria responded with a less than thrilled tone, “Ohh-kay. And what am I supposed to do if I get caught by said priest?”

“I don’t know! Seduce him or something.”

Vittoria gasped on the other end of the phone, dramatically, “Seduce a priest? How scandalous.” There was a brief pause before Vittoria’s tone shifted to a more upbeat one, “I’ll do it. I will need to tell Sharky that there may be some handsy action that may occur which he may not like but I’ll do it.”

Nayeli sighed with a breath of relief, “Thank you Vee. Please, please be careful.”

“I will my love.” Vee tried to sound assuring, “You just sit tight.”

\-----

A few hours later.

“This has slasher film written all over it babe. I mean like, Sleepaway Camp slasher, not like this new age shit.”

Sharky was staring out the front windshield with a pair of binoculars, surveying the church in question from three blocks away. The sun was already setting which meant they wouldn’t have much more time to survey from outside. Vittoria was in the back seat slipping into her chosen outfit the evening. If she was going to do a recon mission she was going to dress the part for it. She adorned a black leather suit, boots and gloves and a black bandana over her face. 

Sharky peered into the back seat, whistling, “Damn hun, you look like a snack that I wanna unwrap.”

“Eyes on the church honey.” She teased, pulling her hair up into a bun.

Sharky turned back, facing the church once more. Considering the part of town they were in, Vittoria was surprised they had not seen much action by now. Most of the buildings in this area were condemned or inhabited by less savory types. She should know cause she spent her first few months in Hope County walking the streets not too far from here, looking for a quick way to make cash. She wormed her way back into the front seat, making sure she had everything she needed. Tazer. Check. Brass knuckles. Check. A seductive smile should shit turn south. Check.

“Uh-babe, you might wanna see this.” Sharky piped up.

He handed her the binoculars pointing towards the sidewalk just before the church. A car had just pulled up. No plates or any other identification. Two figures exited, both dressed in dark clothing and wearing the nightmarish lamb mask Vittoria was all too familiar with. The circled around the car, opening the trunk and hauling something out. Vittoria narrowed her eyes as she took a closer look. Correction, they were hauling someone out of the trunk. Vittoria could not make out the identity of the person, she could only tell that they were an older gentleman. The smaller of the two figure threw the person over their shoulder with ease walking into the church. 

“Showtime darling.” Vittoria remarked as she dug around her bag of supplies, shoving a walkie talkie into Sharky’s possession.

“I don’t know about this Vee.” Sharky seemed hesitant. 

Vittoria leaned into him, kissing him on the cheek, “Don’t worry dear. I’ll be gone for only a moment. If anything goes wrong I’ll just say the safeword-phase, and then you go get Nayeli.”

Sharky raised a brow at her, “Pineapple?”

“No dear, the other safeword.” she replied.

With mouth wide open, Sharky exclaimed, “Ohh.”

She kissed him on the lips before exiting the car. She circled the church, looking for a less obvious way inside versus the front door. She did find a cellar window that was slightly opened which she slipped through with ease. She had done her fair share of sneaking around as an escort. Nearly ninety percent of her clientele were married after all, so she had to make sure she remained unseen. The room she plopped down in appeared to be some sort of makeshift bedroom. The only light source came from a candle sitting atop of a desk. She took a gander around, finding nothing of significance on the surface. 

She looked through the desk, pulling open drawers. Most of them were empty but one near the bottom contained empty viles of some sort. Vittoria took her phone out, snapping a photo. The light filled the room, making her heart stop for a moment. She looked around as if some unseen spector might have seen. Nothing else seemed to be of interest so she moved into the hallway, sticking close to the wall. There was only one other door down here but it appeared locked which meant she had nowhere else to go except up the flight of stars at the end of the hall. The stairs led her to the main floor, the interior of the church encased in shadows with the exceptions of candles lit throughout. She stuck close to one of the many pillars, hearing chatter near the podium. She poked her head out slightly to get a better look. 

The two masked figures had removed their disguise. One man and one woman. She assumed the man must be the priest Nayeli spoke about. The woman was unmistakable, Vittoria recognizing her as the girl Rachel Jessop. _I knew it_ she thought triumphantly. They had the man from the trunk bound and gagged it appeared on the floor, unconscious. There was another man, bound and gagged as well but sitting on one of the pews, lively as ever. He was struggling to free himself from his restraints, growling incessantly. Her eyes widened when she realized it was Nayeli’s detective partner, Jacob. Vittoria leaned in closer in an attempt to hear what they were saying.

“Do not fret brother. I too was once blind to the sin of the world. But now I see clearly.” the man spoke, “Though we may have failed to atone for lust and greed, there is no greater sin than that of pride.”

Rachel picked up the body of the unconscious man with an ease that seemed out of the normal, carrying him out of sight. As she did so, the priest continued to give his monologue.

“Your dear friend Whitehorse knows this sin all too well. He will be the final piece. I will show that this city breeds nothing but sin. And it is us who must snuff it out.”

Vittoria took out her phone once again as she hid back behind the pillar, she aimed it carefully, getting the priest and Jacob into frame. The moment she pressed the center button, she felt her soul leave her body. The flash was so bright it illuminated nearly every dark corner of the church. The priest whipped his head around looking in her direction. Not her greatest moment, that was for sure. Vittoria tried to keep a calm mind as he quickly moved in her direction. She attempted to move to the next pillar but he was on her instantly.

“What do we have here?” he cooed as he grabbed her by the arm.

Vittoria swung her free hand, armed with the brass knuckles and knocked him upside the head. He immediately recoiled, clutching his head as he cried out. She grabbed him by his pathetic man bun and yanked his head into the pillar. The priest immediately collapsed, now nursing a bloodied nose.

“Faith!” he cried out to the open space as Vittoria went to Jacob’s side.

She first undid his gag and then began working on the restraints on his hands.

“What are you doing here?” he questioned, “Is Nayeli okay?”

“Nayeli is just fine dear.” she said as she struggled with the last knot, “She’s only been framed for murder.”

“What?” he exclaimed.

“Long story.” she replied finally getting his restraint loose, grabbing him by the arm, “Let’s go!”

The two hurried for the front door as she reached for her radio, “Sharky, bring the car around! Now.”

The two made halfway to the door when a figure stepped into their path. Rachel appeared to have put her mask back on as she stood before them. Something told Vittoria that her tazer was not going to cut it in this situation. Rachel began walking towards them, staring back at the two with pools of black for eyes. 

Vittoria defiantly raised the radio back to her lips as Rachel’s arms sprung out at her and Jacob, uttering one simple phrase to Sharky.

“ _Ti amo_.”


	14. Superbia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delays in updates. Summer school is kicking my butt and I'm working extra hours at work. One more chapter to go though! It may be a bit for that update as it'll probably be the longest chapter but I hope you guys will think it's worth the wait ^^'
> 
> Anyway, plz enjoy!

Ten years ago.

The Lamb family had always been kind to Rachel Jessop. The matriarch and children at least. Rachel could tell the patriarch of the family did not much like her hanging around his daughter, especially with her well-renowned drug habit. But Sokanon Lamb always made sure there was a spot for her at the table when he was not there. Always a place where she felt welcomed. So much so the daughter of the family, Nayeli believed her to be like a sister. Where the other residents of Hope County viewed her as a blight in the dream they had planned for the county, the Lamb family just saw a little girl who needed a second chance. 

After all, unfortunate circumstances, all one after another led her down the path she had found herself on now. Saving every penny that she came by, she used whatever resources she had to get her next fix. This was one aspect where the Lamb family could not help, despite their best efforts to do so. 

This particular day stood out in the untold history of Hope County. Rachel Jessop waited idly in a _borrowed_ car down the street, waiting eagerly for Nayeli and her brother Takoda to leave the premises. The two siblings were only two grade levels apart which meant they often left together for school, an hour before their mother returned home from the diner. It was a Monday so Rachel knew Mr. Lamb was out of town. She knew the Lamb family’s schedule like clockwork which would help her in the next coming moments.

Her dealer had raised his prices and Rachel had no way of coming up with the money she needed to obtain what she needed. She never saw herself as a thief but she was no stranger to it. Five finger discounts at convenience stores were easy enough but she had never thought of targeting actual homes. This would be her test run. It was easier this way anyway. She knew every little area like the palm of her hand

Rachel watched eagerly as Nayeli and Takoda finally emerged onto their porch, heading in the opposite direction to the bus stop. Rachel moved quickly. If there was one flaw to the Lamb family, it was that they trusted too easily. Trusting enough to leave their windows unlocked knowing their neighbors were, for the most part, upstanding citizens. When Nayeli would get locked out, Rachel knew she’d always sneak through the back window near the kitchen. Rachel slipped inside, hurrying for Nayeli’s parent's bedroom. She knew she’d find the best stuff inside here.

Rummaging through drawers she snagged a few trinkets, the kind you’d find at a garage sale belonging to someone’s great ancestor or something yet no one paid enough to keep. She quickly moved to under the bed, knowing Mrs. Lamb kept stuff in boxes underneath. Perhaps something valuable was hidden in them. Pulling one out, she lifted the lid and began rummaging through. Most of the stuff on top we’re old magazines or catalog but halfway through she paused, finding some sort of documents. No not documents. Actual handwritten letters. Love letters to be exact. Rachel skimmed through until she reached the signature at the bottom. No name. The only thing inscribed was “your mighty steed.”

The sound of a door opening from elsewhere in the house caused her to quickly place the letters and box back in place. She could hear Mrs. Lamb’s laughter which struck fear into Rachel. _What was she doing home so early_ she thought. This house was in no means large, which meant she only had moments to hide. Rachel stuffed the box aside under the bed and scooted her body underneath, hearing footsteps approaching the room. She could see Sokanon’s work sneakers that she’d often wear to her job at the local diner as well as a pair of boots following behind her.

“Takoda and Nayeli have a half-day at school today so we can’t stay too long.” Sokanon spoke to the faceless figure. 

Rachel did her best to keep quiet but her eyes widened as Sokanon’s uniform suddenly dropped to the floor, followed by other articles of clothing she wished she had not seen. The other figure spoke as they too began to remove their clothes, the sound of them fiddling with their belt filling the room.

“Then let’s make it count.” the man’s voice replied flirtatiously.

It was unmistakable. The slight husk yet soothing nature of his voice combined with the letters she had seen hidden in the box. There was no doubt about it: Nayeli’s mother was having an affair with the Sheriff. Rachel cringed with every passing second as the bed groaned above her. She had no words or thoughts. Only the brewing disappointment that even the ones she trusted most were not whom they said they were. An hour passed before the two were finished and even then, Rachel could hear them speak idly as they laid in bed. 

“I want us to be together.” Whitehorse spoke softly, no doubt nuzzling up against Nayeli’s married mother.

Rachel envisioned her sighing, maybe touching his cheek as she looked at him with her large brown eyes, “Can we talk about this later?” Sokanon spoke gently.

Rachel felt the overwhelming silence envelope the room as Whitehorse got up from the bed and began to gather his clothes. It seemed this was a re-occurring conversation, meaning this too was not the first time they had done this. Rachel laid there until both left the room. She remained there for a little longer until she could only hear Sokanon rummaging through the house. Lithe Rachel slid out from under the bed, planning her next move. She floated down the hallway like a ghost, finding Nayeli’s mother crying over the kitchen sink, her back turned towards her, unaware of the other person in the house. 

Rachel glided over to the kitchen counter, her hand shaking as she drew a blade from the knife block. She had thought she knew what she was doing but her continuous trembling proved otherwise. The knife fell suddenly from her hand, making a thunderous, clanking sound against the counter. Rachel scrambled to pick it back up as Sokanon’s figure whirled around, shocked to see the young girl standing there.

“Rachel,” Sokanon gasped as she wiped away her tears, “What are you…-”

Her eyes drifted to the knife Rachel held in her hand, her hands instantly clutching the counter behind her. Rachel wished she too had something to clutch onto, feeling like she was going to vomit at any moment. It was too late to turn back now. With the knife in hand, she approached Sokanon, holding the blade out towards her.

“Give me all the cash you have, or I’m going to rat about you and Whitehorse’s affair.” 

Straight and to the point. She knew Takoda and Nayeli would be home soon, and she did not want her only friend to know what she had done here. She’d get the cash, and she’d just leave. Yeah. That sounded good. She’d disappear into the ever-expanding Hope County, another faceless figure just walking down the street. It took a moment for Sokanon to register what Rachel had just said. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly before cocking her head and narrowing her eyes at the young girl.

“Are you….trying to extort me? After all we’ve provided to you?” 

Sokanon’s voice was shaky, no doubt feeling the ultimate feeling of betrayal. But Rachel knew no other way. 

“Just do what I ask and then I’ll go.” Rachel replied, “You’ll never see me again.”

“Rachel,” Sokanon tried to reason, though you could see it was difficult when a knife was being pointed at her, “You need help. We can take you somewhere for treatment. We can figure this out.”

Rachel looked down, watching Sokanon slowly stepping towards her, hands up cautiously. She wanted to believe her words, but at this point, she had already gone too far. In too deep. If Sheriff Whitehorse found out about what had occurred here, she’d be locked behind bars for the rest of her life, his little secret safe and sound. His and Sokanon’s pride left intact. No, he could not find out about this. She could not.

Sokanon continued her approach, her hands too visibly shaking as one rest on Rachel’s shoulder and the other in the wrist which held the weapon.

" _Put the knife down please. I won’t tell anyone._ "

Sokanons words did not feel real as Rachel thrust the knife forward. It was like puncturing through a thick piece of foam. There was an initial resistance before the knife went all the way through. It was quick, just like you would see in a movie. The life from Sokanon’s brown eyes faded like a candle being blown out. Rachel retracted the knife, watching as the woman who treated her like a daughter fell to the wooden floor. Rachel stood there, unfeeling at first, but then panic began to ensue. She looked to Sokanon’s body and then looked to the knife. Like a mad woman, she rushed to the kitchen sink, using the back of her hand to raise the handle, cleaning the knife off and placing it back in place. She spent the next hour retracing her steps, wiping down what she had touched recently and debated what fingerprints would be okay to leave behind, seeing as how she frequented the Lamb residence nearly on a weekly basis.

When she was done, she returned to the kitchen, pacing over Sokanon’s body. She debated taking the body with her. She could place Sokanon in the _borrowed_ car, dump the car elsewhere, linking it back to her dealer that she had stolen it from in the first place. Another part of her wanted to stay here with the body. The body of the only woman who was the only mother she had ever known. She could not lament over her actions for long, as she heard the front door open. You had to cut through the dining room from the front room in order to get to the kitchen, but the voice from the front door carried like a tune on the wind.

“Mom?” 

Rachel’s blood ran cold as she recognized her best friend’s voice. She did not hesitate, she quickly and quietly made her way out through the back door located in the kitchen. It was not long before you could hear the screaming. It felt like a dumbell was pulling down on Rachel’s heart as she rushed to her car down the street. Everything between leaving the house and beginning to drive became one big muddy blur. She sped down the neighborhood streets, running past stop signs and narrowly avoiding pedestrians. Rachel was unsure of how far she had driven. It was far enough that she no longer recognized her surroundings. Perhaps if she just kept driving, she would wind up someplace far away from here. She could not return. She could not confirm Nayeli’s suspicions that she was nothing more than a desperate drug addict. That she had threatened, essentially, their own mother, willing to blackmail her so she could finally get her fix. 

As she continued to drive, Rachel began to slam down on the steering wheel, wailing in anguish, the tears mixing with her mascaras, beginning to sting her eyes. She rose her hand to momentarily relieve some of the irritation, not noticing the oncoming vehicle as she incidentally began to swerve. The crash was instantaneous. She remembered her body floating for a brief moment, sweet release from the overbearing weight of the world. She had gone from being in the driver’s seat to laying out in a field, staring up at the setting sun. She couldn’t feel any other part of her body so she assumed she must have been dead. If that was the case, she was relieved. She had hurt the ones she loved most, and she could not live with that knowledge. 

It was only a moment later a shadowed figure came to stand over her. She could not make out their details except for the reflection of the setting sun on their yellow tinted glasses. The figure knelt down, their hands lifting her, her body floating once more. Death had come for Rachel Jessop. Today, unknowingly to her, she would be reborn anew.


	15. Humilitas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for any errors. I wrote this while at work and I felt like you guys had waiting long enough for the finale ^^'
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you guys enjoy!

Nayeli watched the clock with hawk-like eyes, her leg bouncing up and down incessantly. They had been gracious enough to let her out of the interrogation room but not without cuffs bound around her wrists. She was cursing herself internally for being so stupid and brash. What was she thinking about sending Vittoria to the church? The girl could handle a fight but who knows what was happening in that church. She peered around, looking for the district attorney so she could finally come clean about what she had done in trying to keep Jacob out of this mess. _Something happened. I know something happened. Neither one of them have called in hours._ Nayeli resorted to biting her nails unable to know what to do. She was essentially under lock and key and there was no way she was getting out of here with an escort.

A figure came up suddenly, slamming their hands down on her desk. Nayeli jumped immediately, looking straight ahead. Hudson was standing before her, her face and eyes red from crying, no doubt having heard the news of Pratt’s demise. At first, Nayeli thought Hudson was going to rip her a new one or perhaps she was going to blame Nayeli for what had happened to Pratt. Neither one happened as Hudson looked around, ensuring no one else was within earshot.

“Whitehorse is missing.” she said suddenly, “I know you know something so you better start talking.”

Seeing as she was going nowhere anytime soon, Nayeli gave Hudson the quickest recap she could, starting with Rachel’s mysterious reappearance back in her life and ending with this morning when she sent Jacob to investigate the church. Judging from Hudson’s narrowed eyes, Nayeli could tell that she was not buying her story. Why would she? With Pratt’s death hanging over both their heads, Nayeli would have a hard time believing her own words too. 

A sudden burst of noise drew their attention to the front doors. Nayeli stood up immediately seeing a man clad in a green hoodie running towards them.

“Sharky?” Nayeli spoke, “Where’s Vittoria?”

Boshaw stopped a few feet from them, leaning over as he caught his breath. In between breaths, he began to explain.

“They got her.” he wheezed, “She got caught.”

Nayeli’s eyes widened with horror. This was all her fault. The two people she loved most were more than likely dead or soon to be put to death. Nayeli looked to Hudson who looked absolutely perplexed.

“Hudson, I need you to gather everyone you can and go to the church on Paradise. That’s where we’re going to find Pratt’s killer.”

She could see Hudson’s hesitation, but she could also tell that she was finally relinquishing any doubt she may have had. Hudson reached into her own pocket, puling out something before reaching over to Nayeli’s hands. To Nayeli’s surprise, she undid the handcuffs and reached for her own belt, taking her gun and handing it to the young detective

“Go before the D.A. sees you’re not here anymore. I’ll gather who I can and meet you there.”

Without warning, Hudson threw her arms around Nayeli in an embrace. Nayeli gently rested her hands around her fellow detective before pulling away. Hudson grabbed her arm before she got too far away. Nayeli looked at her curiously. 

“You promise me,” Hudson began, “promise me we’re going to get that sonuvabitch.” 

Nayeli nodded, “I promise you Hudson.” she paused for a moment, mulling over her thoughts, “I promise Pratt too.”

Nayeli and Sharky hurried out of the station, avoiding curious eyes as they leapt into Sharky’s vehicle. Nayeli looked into the rearview mirror as he floored it, a very upset looking John Duncan racing out of the building followed by a few other officers. They would be on their tail in no time, which was good, because for all Nayeli knew, they needed all the support they could get. 

Nayeli inspected her weapon, brainstorming all the possible ways this could go wrong. She pushed the thoughts to the deepest depths of her mind. She could not afford such a failure. She had to save Jacob and Vittoria, and God willing, she had to save Rachel from whatever monstrosity she had become. Whether she succeeded or not would be determined within the next hour. One way or another, this all ended tonight.

\-----

Vittoria’s humming filled the silence of the room in an effort to drown out the noise of whatever was occurring upstairs. Whomever the man in the trunk was, it did not appear that the priest or the young woman Rachel liked him very much. The sounds of his screaming. Her cohort, whose wrists were bound to hers with their backs facing one another, did not seem to appreciate the additional noise from the way he was grinding his teeth.

“Are you just going to keep humming or are we going to find a way out of here.” He asked gruffly.

“Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head Detective Cull.” She mused, “Just waiting for our backup to arrive.”

She could feel him staring at her, “What backup?” he asked.

Vittoria rolled her eyes. Nayeli really knew how to pick them didn’t she like she had not just spent the last twenty minutes explaining the situation to the brutish detective here. How Nayeli had been framed for Pratt’s murder and how she had sent Sharky to retrieve her.

“Why Nayeli and Sharky of course.” Vittoria reiterated.

Jacob’s body shifted, irritated that she would even do such a thing, “No, they can’t come here. They’ll catch them too.”

“I think you underestimate our dear Lamb.” Vittoria responded, “Besides, I have a hunch that Rachel would intervene on Nayeli’s behalf.” 

 

Unbeknownst to those inside the church, two more bodies approached the building. Nayeli Lamb and Sharky Boshaw had discussed their plan on the ride here. Nayeli just had to distract Joseph Seed and Rachel Jessop long enough for Sharky to sneak in and find their missing lovers and possibly Whitehorse. Nayeli checked her gun for the seventh time, ensuring everything was in proper order in case this did not go how they planned. At this point, it could not get any worse. Her best friend from childhood had framed her for murder, Whitehorse was missing, and her best friend and lover were either being held hostage or already dead. As Sharky snuck around the church, echoing Vittoria’s earlier movements, Nayeli approached the entrance. With a deep breath, she pushed the gargantuan doors open. Ten steps in and she had already discovered a grisly sight which caused her to pause in place. In place of the podium that had been near the northern pews sat some sort of contraption. It appeared to be an iron wheel that was being propped up by beams at an angle. On the wheel was an individual dear to Nayeli’s heart.

“Whitehorse.” she gasped as she approached. 

They must have snatched him up during his route to Pratt’s crime scene. His head was slumped down, making it unclear if he was even alive or dead. His pants were soaked with blood, though there was no sign of any stab wounds or shots that could have caused it. Nayeli reached her hand out, briefly touching his face before he jolted to life, startling her.

“Jesus,” he groaned upon seeing her face, “Nayeli, you gotta get out of here. Get outta here now!”

“I’m afraid that is not an option.” a voice cut in. Soft like velvet and unsettlingly calm, “You my dear are interfering with divine intervention.”

Nayeli turned around, already aware of who she was going to find behind her. The priest Joseph Seed stood calmly and upright, using a bloodied rag to clean an obscured object in his hand. As he moved the rag away, the object came into view. It appeared to be a decent sized mallet. Nayeli, putting two and two together realized what had occurred here or rather what was in progress of occurring. “Broken on the wheel.” Nayeli muttered. _The punishment associated with the sin of Pride._ Nayeli shook her head confused as she reached for her weapon, aiming it at Joseph. He looked to the gun, unimpressed.

“Put the weapon down.” she demanded as he began to draw near. 

Seemingly unfazed by her words, he tossed the rag aside pausing a few feet from her.

“You of all people should want to know this man’s crime. To know what happened to your mother.”

Nayeli flinched, for a brief second, lowering her gun, “What the fuck did you just say.”

Her reaction sparked a grin on the priest’s face. He moved over to one of the pews, casually taking a seat. He patted the spot beside him, still smiling, making the situation all the more unsettling. He knew he had what she wanted. Information. Closure. Nayeli looked to Whitehorse and then back to Joseph, suddenly unsure of what to do. Her finger trembled over the trigger as Joseph patted the empty spot beside him.

“Come child.” he cooed, “There is much to discuss.”

\-----

Jacob Cull grew anxious with each passing second. Had he some sort of knife in his possession he could cut the zip tie that bound he and Nayeli’s friend Vittoria together but instead he was simply irritating the skin trying to wriggle his large wrists out. Vittoria’s humming had ceased thankfully, allowing them to hear incoming footsteps just outside the door. Jacob maneuvered himself so that he would be the one to face whatever came through the door, keeping Vittoria out of harm's way. To his relief or annoyance, Sharky Boshaw came bumbling through, flashlight in hand and shining it directly in Jacob’s face.

“For fuck’s sake.” Jacob growled as he closed his eyes looking away.

“Oh- sorry popo, didn’t see you there.” Sharky replied.

Vittoria wiggled with joy, “Il mio amore, can you please remove these restraints.”

“Oh you’re so hot when you speak spanish.” Sharky responded as he took out a pocket knife, getting to work on the ziptie.

“It’s italian darling.” Vittoria shook her head, but jumped into his arms as soon as her hands were free.

The two were two seconds away from fucking right then and there when Jacob intervened, “Where is Nayeli?” he huffed.

Sharky pulled away from Vittoria though his arms were still latched around her, “She’s upstairs distracting pedo-priest guy.” 

Jacob’s blood began to boil as he turned to the door, motioning for them to follow. If anything happened to the little lamb, there’d be another murder to tack onto this case. The trio made it barely half way down the cellar’s hallway when a door further down opened up. From it stepped out the infamous lamb figure, brandishing a syringe in their hand. _Fuck_. Jacob remembered his encounter at the gala with the masked assailant and he was not looking forward to a reply.

“Back up, back up.” he ordered to the others. 

All three scurried to the end of the hall until there was nowhere else to turn. The masked figure sauntered forward quickly, raising the syringe up. As soon as they got close enough, Jacob would attempt to tackle them, allowing Vittoria and Sharky a second to escape. The little brunette in their group however seemed to have other plans. 

“Why did you try to frame Nayeli?” Vittoria blurted as the trio got backed into a wall, “What were you trying to do?”

The suddenness of the question caused the masked figure to pause. Both Sharky and Jacob looked over their shoulder at the woman who began to push her way forward, away from the protective barrier of their bodies. The masked figure cocked their head as she approached, lowering their syringe. Vittoria stood steadfast as they returned her question with silence. Suddenly, they moved their hand upward, then paused, like they were questioning their own actions. Eventually, they did remove the mask, and with it, the tangled black wig that adorned their head. The woman let the items fall to the floor. 

Behind the mask was the face of a young woman. Ill, tired, and worn down. A look Vittoria knew all too well, being a recovering drug addict herself. Something else marred Rachel Jessop's face though that was of great interested. An utter, perplexing look in response to Vittoria’s interrogation. 

“Frame her…? I would never do that to her. She’s my friend.”

Vittoria, being the expert in reading people could tell that Rachel Jessop had no idea what she was talking about.

“So you didn’t murder Detective Staci Pratt?” 

Again, Rachel looked consistently confused as she began to shake her head, “No, no, no. I didn’t. The Father did not tell me- he did not order me to do that.”

“Order. What an interesting choice of words.” Vittoria noted, “You’re saying he made you kill those other people?”

At this point, Rachel was trembling, obviously wanting to answer but again but something was holding her back. The fiery Italian looked back at Jacob, cueing him to get in on this. Jacob took her cue and stepped forward as Vittoria stepped. Out of sight, she took out her cellphone which, like amateurs, the dear Priest and Rachel forgot to confiscate. 

“What are you doing babe?” asked Sharky as she fiddled with the apps.

“Hush darling. You’ll see.” she responded as she hit record.

Jacob approached Rachel who now looked like nothing more than a scared little girl. She was a bit shorter than Nayeli which meant that his body dwarfed hers entirely. She did not seem to be a threat any longer so he knelt down before her, taking her hand into his, attempting to be as reassuring as possible. She flinched, seemingly made passive by the news that Nayeli had been put in such a predicament.

“It’s going to be okay Rachel.” he mimicked the same tone he’d often use with Nayeli, evoking a sense of safety, “What is it that he has over you?”

\-----

Nayeli stood before Whitehorse, her hands trembling as she held her weapon. Tears streamed down her face as she looked to the man whom she had seen as a father for the entirety of her life. Joseph Seed’s words soaked into her mind like water into the soil. Joseph claimed that it had been Whitehorse who killed her mother in order to keep the secret of their affair a secret. How Rachel had been the one to witness it after appearing at the Lamb residence looking for her best friend. How Whitehorse chased Rachel over the ends of Hope County until her vehicle crashed into another one, killing a mother and child. Three deaths for the price of one man’s pride. Rachel came to Joseph seeking salvation and instead they formed a holy crusade.

She cringed as she felt Joseph’s hands descend down upon her shoulders, gently caressing as his mouth appeared beside her ear sending shivers down her spine as he spoke. 

“Do you see now? How the most righteous are often the most sinful?”

Nayeli looked upon Whitehorse’s face, too tired to interject, searching for any validation that the words Joseph spoke were simply beautiful lies strung together.

“Is it true?” Nayeli asked, “Were you and my mother having an affair?”

“Nayeli…” he wheezed, using what strength he had to speak, “I loved your mother more than anything in this world. I would have never hurt her.”

Nayeli felt Joseph slipping her gun out of her hand and replacing it with the hilt of the mallet, his hands working to clutch her fingers around it as he began to back away. 

“Sinners must be punished. I’ll let you do the honors.”

As his hands withdrew, Nayel looked down at the mallet in hand. He was lying. She knew he was. She believed it wholeheartedly that it was infuriating to find her body paralyzed in place. It was like her body was intentionally waiting to act. Waiting for a sign. Anything to bring her out of this trance.

“Nayeli!” a man’s voice called from another direction.

Both Joseph and Nayeli turned, seeing a handful of figures move out from the shadows of the pillars and onto the main floor of the church. Nayeli gasped with relief upon seeing the hulking figure that belonged to Jacob Cull, and the sight of Vittoria safe and sound hanging on Sharky’s arm. With them though, was a surprise guest who too seemed surprised to even be a part of the group.

“Rachel.” Nayeli uttered.

Before anything else, Rachel stepped forward, full of determination, a new sense of purpose.

“I killed Sokanon.” she blurted, “I killed your mother.”

Her words sunk into Nayeli like a sucker punch, causing her to drop the mallet to the floor. Nayeli’s brows rose in disbelief as she took a step back. Unlike Joseph’s words, she had no doubt about Rachel telling the truth. Nayeli could hardly get out a peep when she saw the sudden rise of Joseph’s arm, taking aim at Rachel with the weapon he had slipped from Nayeli. The eyes in the room widened as the gun went off. Jacob’s body shielded Rachel, wrapping himself around her at the last second. His back arched from the impact of the bullet before he and Rachel collapsed to the floor. Vittoria screamed as Sharky quickly dragged her to cover.

“No!” Nayeli lunged for the gun after the initial shot, seeing her lover collapse to the floor. Not anticipating her action, Joseph fell flat on his back, the gun firing off into one of the columns of the church. Nayeli wrapped her hands around his wrist as she tried to direct the gun away from herself and the others.

He freed one hand, allowing himself to grab Nayeli by her hair, yanking her to the side off of him. Nayeli grit her teeth shut as she held back a yelp as he ripped some strands from her head. He swung her with ease, slamming her head into the corner of one of the pews. The sharp edge was enough to leave her in a daze. Without any pause, Joseph was on top of her in seconds, trying to pin her down.  
“Sinners. All of you.” he shouted as Nayeli sat up as much as she could, batting his hands away, “Don’t you see what I’m trying to do? She took my family from me. So I will take what’s left of hers.”  
With the sound of the gun cocking, Nayeli paused, being met with the barrel of her own weapon directed at her face. All the calm and collectivism in his face had been erased as if had ever existed in the first place. Instead, she was met with the sight of a madman, hellbent on finishing his God-given goal.

“Farewell Detective Lamb.” he sneered.

Nayeli gasped, awaiting for the thunderous sound of the barrel to go off and for the impending darkness that awaited her. At the last possible second, two delicate looking hands placed themselves around each side of Joseph’s face in a gentle embrace. Nayeli watched intently as Joseph’s eyes widened, realizing what happening. With a sickening crack of the neck, the hands twisted his head, his body slumping down over Nayeli’s. Nayeli scrambled to get out from underneath, panting as she looked up.

Rachel stood over her, seemingly shocked by her own actions. From the outside, the sound of police sirens began their approach, growing higher in pitch with each passing second until the lights of the sirens began to illuminate through the church’s windows.  
Two hours later things began to settle back into place. Hudson and the rest of the police force had been delayed by John Duncan’s insistence that Nayeli had been lying about the church and everything else. The look on his face as he entered the church and saw he had been wrong was priceless. Nayeli sat upon a pew with Jacob as paramedics took a look at his injury. It was a clean shot, luckily missing anything vital, but he would need to take a few weeks off to fully recover. Nayeli rested her head upon his shoulder once the paramedics left, his lips gracing her forehead.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” she murmured.

“You think a measly shot like that would take me out?” Jacob smirked, suddenly becoming solemn as he watched the others place a sheet over Joseph’s body.  
Nayeli too looked over, watching as they placed his body on a gurney, wheeling him out. Joseph Seed had lied, just as she suspected. From what they could gather, he had planned to frame both Nayeli and Rachel for the murders, leaving him to act as an innocent bystander. He had drugged and manipulated Rachel to hell and back. After killing Sokanon, she had plowed into a vehicle carrying a family. A father, a mother, and a daughter. The father being the only survivor. Nayeli remembered hearing about the accident shortly after her mother’s death. They described it as a hit and run, mother and daughter fatalities. There was never any mention of a third member present though. Joseph ensured it appeared as if he was never there.  
He used Rachel to act as his left hand of God as well as his scale goat. Manipulating her into believing she could repent for her actions by eliminating other sinners that may have caused similar fates to countless others. He had been present at the gala. He had provided Rachel with her targets and means of disposal. When Nayeli and Jacob got a little to close the truth, Joseph had enacted a plan to frame Nayeli by murdering Pratt and leaving behind what Rachel had taken from her apartment. With her indiction, he knew Jacob would be brought down with her, allowing him to continue on with his holy work. 

She looked to Cull who watched solemnly as they took his brothers body away. Nayeli placed a hand over over his, trying to comfort him, “I’m sorry about your brother.” She spoke sympathetically.  
“He wasn’t my brother.” He replied looking down at her, “My brother died the day we were separated.”

With that he looked up, catching a glimpse of his youngest brother trying to sneak a word in with Vittoria who kept vehemently refusing him. The humorous sight of it made him crack a slight smile.  
“Besides, blood isn’t what makes a family.” He said looking back down at her.

Nayeli realized he was speaking about her, her mouth becoming agape, allowing him easy access. He pressed his lips to hers, the two embracing. They may have had a rough beginning, but after tonight, there was no denying that they were now one. A family for all the days to come. They drawed out the kiss before pulling away, the lamb biting her lower lip, finding herself lost in the blissful moment. It was over. The murders were finally over.  
Looking around, Nayeli saw Sharky and Vittoria, lovingly embracing each other, the district attorney steaming in a far corner watching them. As for Whitehorse, they had taken Whitehorse to the hospital already. While his injuries severe, he was expected to make a full recovery following an intensive bout of physical therapy. Nayeli would visit him sometime later in the week. They without a doubt had a lot of things to discuss. Her eyes settle down on another figure, clad in cuffs both on her hands and ankles. Nayeli Stood up as Rachel Jessop was being led away by Hudson and others.

“Wait-“ Nayeli called out, causing the posse to pause. Rachel turned, surprised to even still see Nayeli present. 

Nayeli had so many things to ask Rachel. Why did she commit the crime that she had done, why she did not feel comfortable enough to ask her surrogate family for help. As much as Nayeli wanted to hate her for what she had done, she could not put aside the love she felt for her friend. Her sister. With Joseph dead, there was only Rachel’s word that she too had been a victim of these crimes. It would never stand in court and they would probably make sure she got the maximum punishment. But Nayeli would be her support every step of the way. Nayeli reached out and touched her friend’s shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

“When you’re ready, let’s talk.” Nayeli spoke softly as she withdrew her hand.

Rachel seemed amazed by Nayeli’s offer, her eyes widening and for a moment, Nayeli saw a light in them that she thought had long gone out. A light of hope. 

“Thank you Nayeli.” Rachel Jessop responded.

The police proceeded to take Rachel away, leaving Nayeli with Jacob who approached her from behind. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body into him.

“What do you say we get out of here. You need some rest.” he murmured.

Nayeli shook her head, “Not yet.” she replied, “There’s still one more thing I need to do.”

\-----

A few weeks later.

Following the Lamb of God murders, and closing the case on her mother’s murder, Nayeli Lamb had a new objective. She spent the following days searching up and down public records and databases, looking for one Takoda Lamb. Following their mother’s murder, and Nayeli's never ending obsession with finding the murderer, she and her brother had lost contact for nearly seven years. After everything that had occurred the last few months, Nayeli decided it was time to repair that relationship, and give herself and her brother the closure they needed.

One phone call, two plane tickets and one rental car later, Jacob Cull and Nayeli Lamb were on their way to Eureka, California. Jacob drove most of the way, allowing Nayeli to contemplate what she was going to say once they arrived. She spend the entire drive twisting the engagement ring on her finger, turning it in every which direction. Jacob saw her fidgetiness and reached his hand over, placing it over her thigh. It relieved her temporarily, but her palms began to sweat as Jacob pulled up to the curb of the house that the GPS had led them to. Nayeli stared at the exterior of the house, feeling oddly anxious. To know that only fifty feet and a wooden door separated her from her brother was overwhelming.

“Hey,” Jacob called to her, snapping her out of her trance.

Nayeli looked over to him, smiling lovingly at her, “You don’t have to worry about anything. I’m going to be right there with you.”

He took her hand and raised it to her lips, kissing it. Nayeli felt the tension released from her body as she nodded. The two proceeded to leave the vehicle, venturing up the steps to the house. Nayeli smoothed out her suit before proceeding to knock on the door, reality setting in on itself as she took a deep breath. The door opened, a young man bearing the same resemblance to Nayeli standing before them. Despite the time apart, his smile was warm and welcoming, reminding her of better days. Of a childhood she would always miss. Nayeli felt her heart flutter as she opened her mouth to speak. In addition to Jacob by her side, there was no where else in the world she would rather be. 

“Hey Takoda.”

This was paradise.


End file.
